7. Understanding inequalities in long-term care needs and care provision using quantitative methods: QAR-Net Care Network

Jingwen Zhang, The University of Manchester

Maria Petrillo, The University of Sheffield

The Quantitative Analysis and Research Network for Care (QAR-Net Care) is an innovative initiative designed to address the existing gap in quantitative care research. Despite burgeoning new care-related data and the advancement in quantitative methods, there is still a lack of care research exploiting these new developments. QAR-Net Care aims to fill this gap by bringing together a diverse group of researchers who are enthusiastic about understanding care inequalities and promoting methodological advancements in care research.

This symposium will showcase works from the QAR-Net Care members focusing on socioeconomic and health-related inequalities in care needs, as well as informal and formal care work. The first paper, by Dr Javiera Cartagena-Farías, explores the relationship between fuel poverty and the development of long-term care needs using Structural Equation Modelling. Next, Dr Baowen Xue discusses the findings from a longitudinal study investigating the changes in cognitive function before and after the transition into care, and whether this depends on care characteristics. Thirdly, Dr Maria Petrillo explore the gendered landscape of informal caregiving, and the effect and socioeconomic inequalities in England. Lastly, Harriet Ann Patrick and Christie Butcher will present their research on the employment-related outcomes of care provision across different social groups in the UK. They will discuss how they approach this topic by triangulating different quantitative methods.

Dr Jingwen Zhang will conclude the symposium with a discussion on learning from these four studies, and the future directions of quantitative research in care inequalities. We will also open the floor for questions, encouraging active audience engagement and dialogue around the presented research. 

Papers: 

Long-Term Care Needs and Fuel Poverty Among Older People: Beyond Energy Consumption and Affordability (Dr Javiera Cartagena-Farías) 

Association Between Becoming a Carer and Changes in The Trajectory of Cognitive Function: Results From the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (Dr Baowen Xue) 

The gendered Landscape of Informal Caregiving: Effect and Socioeconomic Inequalities in England (Dr Maria Petrillo) 

Labour Market Participation and Unpaid Care Work in the UK: An Intersectional Analysis (Christie Butcher & Harriet Ann Patrick)

Discussant: Dr Jingwen Zhang