The role of migration status in the link between ADL/IADL and informal as well as formal care in Germany: Findings of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the role of migration status in the link between ADL/IADL and formal as well as informal home care in Germany.

Methods: Cross-sectional data (wave 5 and wave 6) were used from the representative Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. The analysis focused on Germany (n = 5717). Migration status was quantified as no migration background and migration background, including first-generation migrants and second-generation migrants. ADL and IADL were quantified by well-established disability scales. The type of care was categorized as formal care received at home, informal care from someone inside the household and informal care from someone outside the household.

Results: Regressions showed that impairments in ADL/IADL are significantly linked with an increased likelihood of receipt of formal and informal care. This applies to all respondents regardless of their migration background. However, the analysis could not demonstrate a significant moderating effect of the migration status on the link between impairments in ADL/IADL and the use of care.

Conclusion: Study findings showed that impairments in ADL/IADL were significantly linked with the use of formal and informal home care in Germany. We found no evidence that the migration status of the respondents moderates this association suggesting comparable formal and informal home care provision for migrants and non-migrants. Future studies should examine whether this also applies for other areas of care and to what extent, in addition to migration status, the timing of migration and language skills influence care utilization.

Keywords: ADL; IADL; Migration; formal care; functional impairment; informal care.