Does Social Support Alleviate the Caregiving Burden of Adult Children? Evidence from Chinese Long-Term Care Insurance Pilot Program

In China, and many other developed nations, public long-term care insurance (LTCI) is a commonly adopted approach to meet long-term care needs, but its impact on the burden of family caregivers remains uncertain. This study investigated whether a parent having LTCI alleviates the caregiver burden for the adult child caregiver. Data derived from the 2011, 2013, and 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 4595 adult child caregivers). Guided by the stress-appraisal model, Difference-in-Difference (DID) methods were used to investigate the spillover effects of LTCI on caregiver stressors and burden. The results show that having public LTCI in place in a location is associated with reduced caregiver burden among adult child caregivers through its effects on secondary stressors (wealth, health, and sleep problems) and hours of caregiving. Findings suggest that the LTCI is an effective form of social support for aiding family caregivers and alleviating their burden.