Caregiving dynamics and labor market outcomes of unorganized caregivers of older adults in Ghana

Background: Unorganized caregivers increasingly face significant challenges that impact their participation in the labor market, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This paper explores the effects of both care intensity and the subjective caregiving burden on the labor force participation and work hours of these unorganized caregivers. Method: We used data from a sample of 1,806 unorganized caregivers in Ghana who provide care to older adults aged 60 and above. High-intensive caregivers were classified as those providing at least 20 h of caregiving per week, while the caregiving burden was measured using the short version of the Zarit Burden Interview score. The results were based on the average marginal effect from a logistic regression model. Results: The results showed that both high-intensity and high-burden caregiving have notable effects on labor force participation and the work hours of unorganized caregivers. High-intensive caregivers were associated with an approximately 14% increase in the probability of reducing work hours. Also, high-burden caregivers were found to be associated with a 7% increase in the probability of being self-employed. The combined effect of high-intensity and high-burden caregiving was found to amplify the labor market challenges, particularly in reducing work hours and limiting the ability to maintain stable employment. Conclusion: These findings highlight the significant impact of unorganized caregiving on labor market outcomes, particularly for those providing intensive and high-burden care. Policymakers should consider these effects when designing support systems for caregivers to mitigate the negative impact on employment and income stability.​.