Sex‐Specific Factors Associated With the Financial Burden of Family Dementia Caregiving: Using the Korea Community Health Survey, 2019

Background Understanding the need for caregiving‐related support is important to develop health and social care interventions to reduce the burden of care. This study aims to identify the sex‐specific correlates of the financial burden on family caregivers of people with dementia. Methods A total of 12,330 family caregivers of people with dementia (aged ≥ 19 years) were included in cross‐sectional data from the 2019 Community Health Survey. Participants were selected through stratified multistage probability sampling, and a complex sample logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with financial burden. Self‐reported experiences of financial burden captured by a single question with single‐choice responses. Among respondents classified as family caregivers of people living with dementia, participants who responded that the most significant caregiving burden was financial were regarded as experiencing a financial burden. The independent variables included the participants’ sociodemographic, health‐related behavioral, and psychosocial characteristics. Results 23% of the total respondents reported experiencing financial burdens. Female spouses who were caregivers (OR 4.37, 95% CI 2.75–6.93) and male caregivers who were the offspring (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.27–2.35) of the care recipient were particularly likely to report financial burdens. The odds of reporting financial problems were highest among male caregivers with the lowest household income (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.73–2.85) and female caregivers with the lowest household income (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.86–3.14). Common factors associated with financial burden were household income level, relationship to care recipient, marital status, and education level. Conclusion Approximately one‐fourth of dementia caregiving family members experienced financial burdens, and factors related to financial burden were diverse depending on sex. Therefore, financial interventions such as tax breaks or subsidies should be developed and implemented within the health care system to ease the financial burden on caregivers of people with dementia, considering gender‐specific financial risks.