Caregiving in the shadows: National analysis of health outcomes and intensity and duration of care among those who care for people with mental illness and for people with developmental disabilities.

Background: The health impacts of caring for people with mental illness (MI) and developmental disabilities (DD) are not well understood.

Objective: The present study explored whether health outcomes differed between MI and DD caregivers, and if intensity and duration of care moderated health outcomes.

Methods: Nationally representative 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey data were used to explore how caring for people with MI (n = 1071) and DD (n = 888) impacted general health status and physical and mental health days, and whether intensity and duration of care moderated health outcomes.