Advancing caregiving as a public health issue: The need for surveillance and intervention

Only recently has caregiving been acknowledged as an emerging public health issue. With an increasing number of Americans living well into older age, caregiving is an issue of growing societal importance. In the past, caregiving has been viewed from an individual perspective with little attention given to the care process by public health officials. In order to address the large numbers of people who will be giving and/or receiving caregiving in the future, public health scientists and practitioners must acknowledge the importance of this issue, provide accurate surveillance, and initiate the development of interventions to support both groups.

Caregiving also has been recognized as a lifespan issue that affects almost everyone at multiple times over a lifetime. For instance, while we are well aware of children's care needs when they are young, recent research has highlighted the role of children and youth caregivers who provide assistance for a disabled parent, sibling, or other family member. In addition, intergenerational caregiving, the provision of reciprocal care across one or more generations, is receiving increasing attention as a means of enhancing and enriching the life experiences of youth as well as elders.

By supporting caregivers and their loved ones, public health scientists and practitioners can enhance the health of millions of Americans. This presentation will provide an overview of the role of federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as public health leaders in addressing the need for surveillance and intervention to advance caregiving as a public health issue.