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Neher T, French E, Mills A. Resource needs of caregivers and parents as students in university settings . HPHR. 2024. 82. https://doi.org/10.54111/0001/DDDD5
Currently there are over five million students attending higher education while also providing care for an adult with a disability or other health condition. This number does not include those who care for a family member under 18 or parents. The increasing volume of student caregivers and parents evokes the need for each university to not only understand what resources are needed and the prevalence of these populations but also provide resources for them to succeed.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with university students across a large Mountain West university. This survey aimed to address the impacts of being a caregiver or parent on perceived academic success and resources needed.
A sample of 1503 students was collected, with 393 (26.1%) of them identifying as a parent or caregiver to someone who was ill during the past three months or taking care of someone under the age of 18. Over 65% of the caregivers and parents reported they worried about their academic success during the semester and that additional resources are needed.
There are many considerations when looking at how to better support parents and caregivers in a university setting. The sample identified a need for financial support, policies around absences, and navigation to resources in the community. There are multiple key programs at universities highlighting navigation programs and there is much room for growth around these types of initiatives.
Caregivers and parents face many challenges when trying to complete higher education. The findings discussed in this article identify that there are multiple places where institutions may be able to impact the outcomes of these nontraditional students to support their success.
Over five million students attending college, university, or vocational schools are caregiving for an adult with a disability or other health condition.1 Currently, the United States does not track the number of students who are family caregivers even though there is a need for this data and support for this population.2 Parents of minor children who are attending school are also a population with higher needs than traditional students. These populations face unique challenges such as being economically disadvantaged, women/gender minorities, youth and elderly, single parents, and mental health or disability concerns that warrant heightened awareness on social justice and health equity across college campuses. 1-5
Balancing caregiving and/or parenting and student responsibilities can impact emotional well-being, academic ability and an individual’s financial situation.1,3–5 Caregiving is known to greatly impact the academic ability of student caregivers due to emotional stress or distractions related to their caregiver role.1 A large portion (72%) of student caregivers reported feeling overwhelmed trying to balance attending school and managing their caregiving responsibilities.1 In addition, student parents are at a higher risk of experiencing mental health issues than non-parenting students.3
Caregiving impacts the financial confidence to pay for school for 60% of student caregivers.1 11Student parents are more likely to take out student loans, have more debts after they graduate, and have a harder time paying them back.4,6 Parents also experience challenges addressing basic needs while in school and utilizing student loans.4 In the U.S. a student parent is estimated to need to work an average of 52 hours per week pay for childcare and tuition costs (at four-year public university).7 The cost of childcare creates a substantial affordability gap for student parents.7
College students acting as a caregiver may require resources that differ from those of a traditional college student. A barrier to universities being aware of this need is the lack of reporting and tracking around student caregivers and parents. Many caregivers do not identify themselves as such to their school because they don’t think their school could help them or understand (51%), don’t want help from their school or trust them (31%), don’t want others to know about it (20%), and don’t know who to tell (17%).1 Over a quarter of student caregivers felt discriminated against for their caregiver role by peers and instructors at their school adding to why they do not seek help or inform the school of their situation. Additionally, student parents have a decreased likeliness of being aware and accessing campus resources like mental health services.3
Resources for caregivers and parents at universities and colleges are critical for the success of all students.Only 31% of schools have enacted policies to support parents of minor children whereas, 5% of schools have enacted policies to support family caregivers.1
Many institutions already have resources available but struggle with making students aware of them. There was a lack of awareness of what their school services provided among 60% of students, which can lead to gaps in student-facing offices and adversely affect student retention and success.8 Parents report struggling with time management as a student, but they have higher rates of seeking help from academic counselors and faculty than non-parents.9 They are actively seeking available resources but may need more resources specific to their needs as parent students.
The increasing volume of student caregivers and parents evokes the need for each university to not only understand what resources are needed and the prevalence of these populations but also provide resources for them to succeed. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of student caregivers and parents in a university campus setting within the United States and their needs for institutionally supported resources and programs. The purpose of this study was to add to the limited existing research on student caregivers and parents with the perspective of resources needed and impacts on student success.
The data was drawn from a campus-wide cross-sectional survey of 1503 students at a public university in Idaho. Participants were eligible for inclusion in the study if they were currently registered in any program at the university. The sampling goal of this study was to collect a total of 1080 responses. This sample size was calculated to obtain a 95% confidence level with 4% margin of error for the findings compared to the total student population.
Survey recruitment occurred during the Fall 2023 semester. A recruitment email was sent to a randomized sample of 5405 students to achieve the desired sample size with an assumed response rate of 20%. This email contained a study overview and a survey link for students to complete the survey via Qualtrics. After the survey, all students were provided with web links to the currently offered resources and programs for student health and wellness.
Participants were asked to complete measures related to the following areas: demographics, perceived stress, school stressors, and resource awareness. Demographics included ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender, employment status, and family dynamics, such as marital status and if they have children. The demographic questions asked were based on the current reporting methods used by the university for student enrollment for race and ethnicity.
Caregiver and parenting impacts were assessed by utilizing an exit survey tool developed at the University of North Carolina, which assessed parent and caregiver burdens on university students.5 Students were asked if they were “a caregiver, parent, and/or guardian for a minor or dependent who is under the age of 18 years” and “a caregiver for someone who is chronically ill (lasts 3 months or more), elderly, has a disability or other health condition by supporting activities they would have difficulty doing on their own”. If they answered yes to either of those questions, they received follow up questions pertaining to who they cared for, day/hours spent caregiving, history of caregiving, impacts of caregiving, and resources needed to succeed.
All data were reviewed and analyzed with the computer-based statistical program, SPSS (Version 28.0). Descriptive statistics, including means and frequencies, are presented for all demographic variables and sample characteristics. This study was approved by the Boise State University institutional review board protocol number IRB23-204.
Table 1: Demographics | ||||
Entire Sample | Parents & Caregivers | |||
n/Mean | %/SD | n/Mean | %/SD | |
Gender | (n=1503) | (n=393) | ||
Male | 447 | 29.7 | 99 | 25.2 |
Female | 1003 | 66.7 | 283 | 72.0 |
Non-Binary | 33 | 2.2 | 6 | 1.5 |
Transgender | 6 | 0.4 | 1 | 0.3 |
Prefer not to disclose | 11 | 0.7 | 4 | 1.0 |
Prefer to self-describe | 3 | 0.2 | ||
Age | (n=1489) | (n=386) | ||
28.66 | 10.03 | 36.92 | 9.01 | |
Race | (n=1501) | (n=393) | ||
American Indian | 7 | 0.5 | 4 | 1 |
Asian | 85 | 5.6 | 14 | 3.6 |
Black | 28 | 1.8 | 6 | 1.5 |
Hawaiian | 4 | 0.3 | 1 | 0.3 |
White | 1145 | 75.2 | 308 | 78.8 |
Bi Multi-Racial | 153 | 10.1 | 39 | 10 |
Other | 41 | 2.7 | 11 | 2.8 |
Prefer not to respond | 38 | 2.5 | 8 | 2 |
Hispanic | (n=1503) | (n=393) | ||
Hispanic or Latino | 203 | 13.5 | 48 | 12.2 |
Not Hispanic or Latino | 1278 | 85 | 340 | 86.5 |
I prefer not to respond | 22 | 1.5 | 5 | 1.3 |
Relationship Status | (n=1504) | (n=393) | ||
Single | 551 | 36.6 | 41 | 10.4 |
Married/Partnered/In a relationship | 887 | 59 | 317 | 80.7 |
Separated/Divorced | 48 | 3.2 | 31 | 7.9 |
Widowed | 5 | 0.3 | 1 | 0.3 |
I prefer not to respond | 13 | 0.9 | 3 | 0.8 |
Hours of work | (n=1504) | (n=393) | ||
0 | 186 | 12.4 | 36 | 9.2 |
1-20 | 500 | 33.2 | 73 | 18.6 |
21-40 | 414 | 27.5 | 98 | 24.9 |
40 or more | 391 | 26 | 182 | 46.3 |
I prefer not to respond | 13 | 0.9 | 4 | 1 |
Student Status | (n=1501) | (n=393) | ||
Full-time (undergraduate) | 1091 | 72.7 | 199 | 50.8 |
Part-time (undergraduate) | 410 | 27.3 | 193 | 49.2 |
Level of education | (n=1507) | (n=393) | ||
Undergraduate | 672 | 44.6 | 96 | 24.4 |
Master’s | 672 | 44.6 | 247 | 62.8 |
Doctoral | 163 | 10.8 | 50 | 12.7 |
Online student | (n=1504) | (n=393) | ||
Yes | 571 | 38 | 273 | 69.5 |
No | 933 | 62 | 120 | 30.5 |
Our sample consisted of 1503 respondents, with 393 (26.1%) identifying as a parent or caregiver to someone who was ill during the past three months or taking care of someone under the age of 18 (Table 1). Of these 393 participants 72.2% (n=283) identified as female, and 25.3% (n=99) identified as male, as compared to 66.7% (n=1003) female and (n=447) 29.7% male in the entire sample of students. Within the population, 78.8% (n=308) identified as white, and 12.2% identified as Hispanic or Latino (n=48). The average age was 36.92 (SD=9.01). A majority (80.7%, n=317) were married, partnered, or in a relationship, with 46.3% (n=182) working 40 or more hours while attending school. About half or 50.8% (n=199) were full-time students, 62.8% (n=247) were working towards their master’s degree and 69.5% (n=273) were online students.
Table 2: Type of Caregiver | ||
n | % | |
Are you a caregiver, parent, and/or guardian for a minor or dependent who is under the age of 18 years? | (n=1497) | |
No, I am not a caregiver, parent, and/or guardian for a minor or dependent under the age of 18 | 1175 | 78.5 |
Yes, for one person under the age of 18 | 124 | 8.3 |
Yes, for more than one person under the age of 18 | 198 | 13.2 |
Are you a caregiver for someone who is chronically ill (lasts 3 months or more), elderly, has a disability or other health conditions and helps them do activities they would have difficulty doing on their own? | (n=1504) | |
No, I do not provide care support for someone who is chronically ill, elderly, or has a disability or other health condition | 1377 | 91.6 |
Yes, I currently live with the person(s) that needs my help or support | 80 | 5.3 |
Yes, I do not currently live with the person(s) who needs my help or support | 47 | 3.1 |
Table 3: Time Requirement of Caregiving | ||
n/mean | %/SD | |
During a regular week, approximately how many hours per day, on average, do you dedicate to your caring responsibilities? | 9.93 | 7.42 |
During a regular week, on how many days, on average, do you provide care for someone in your family or household who is chronically ill (lasts 3 months), elderly, or disabled with activities they would have difficulty doing on their own? | (n=127) | |
1 or 2 days per week | 50 | 39.4 |
3-5 days per week | 37 | 29.1 |
6 or 7 days per week | 40 | 31.5 |
Did you provide care support for this person/these people prior to attending University | (n=389) | |
Yes | 305 | 78.4 |
No | 84 | 21.6 |
If yes: How many years have you been providing care support? | (n=345) | |
1-4 | 106 | 30.7 |
5-10 | 109 | 31.6 |
More than 10 years | 130 | 37.7 |
Please select all that apply to you over the last 12 months | (n=393) | % |
The care that I provide has not increased or intensified during the last 12 months | 167 | 42.5 |
I am caring for more people | 46 | 11.7 |
I spend more time caregiving | 99 | 25.2 |
I am more worried about my caregiving responsibilities | 83 | 21.1 |
The care that I provide has become more complex | 95 | 24.2 |
Due to the difficulty in separating parents from caregivers in the data and both these populations needing more resources and accommodations than the average student population, the needs and results of both parents and caregivers will be combined. Almost a third of the sample reported being a caregiver for someone who is chronically ill, elderly, has a disability, or other health conditions (32.4% n=127/393) and over 80% reported being a parent/guardian for a minor (n=322; Table 2). Of the caregivers, 37% of participants are caring for a parent or step-parent (n=47) and 24.4% are caring for a child (n=31). The average hours spent caregiving a day is 9.93 hours (SD=7.42). When asked how many days they provide care per week, 39.4% of individuals reported providing this care 1-2 days per week, 29.1% reported providing care 3-5 days a week, and 31.5% provided care 6 or 7 days a week (Table 3). The number of years that our sample reported having provided care was spread out almost evenly between 1-4, 4-10, and more than 10 years with a majority (78.4%) providing care before attending university.
Table 4: Impacts of Caregiving | ||
I am worried about balancing my academics and my caregiving | (n=379) | % |
Strongly disagree | 16 | 4.2 |
Disagree | 49 | 12.9 |
Neither agree nor disagree | 54 | 14.2 |
Agree | 156 | 41.2 |
Strongly agree | 104 | 27.4 |
I have fewer caregiving responsibilities at this time now that the semester is underway | (n=377) | % |
Strongly disagree | 126 | 33.4 |
Disagree | 148 | 39.3 |
Neither agree nor disagree | 68 | 18 |
Agree | 27 | 7.2 |
Strongly agree | 8 | 2.1 |
I have adequate support and help for my caregiving responsibilities | (n=379) | % |
Strongly disagree | 25 | 6.6 |
Disagree | 61 | 16.1 |
Neither agree nor disagree | 58 | 15.3 |
Agree | 168 | 44.3 |
Strongly agree | 67 | 17.7 |
Table 5: Resources Needed | ||
(n=393) | % | |
Please select what resources would be most useful to you in your role as a caregiver | ||
Grants or other financial aid for childcare/adult care costs | 178 | 45.3 |
Connections to community resources | 115 | 29.3 |
Clear policies for dependent-related absences | 107 | 27.2 |
Parking access | 82 | 20.9 |
Dedicated academic advisor for caregiving students or student parents | 70 | 17.8 |
Peer support groups | 68 | 17.3 |
On campus space or family study rooms | 61 | 15.5 |
Housing | 39 | 9.9 |
Respite care | 34 | 8.7 |
Other | 29 | 7.4 |
Easier access to qualified volunteers | 20 | 5.1 |
Nearly two-thirds of the sample reported being worried about balancing their academics and caregiving responsibilities (68.6%, Table 4). In addition, 72.7% reported not having fewer caregiving responsibilities during the semester and 62% of participants reported having adequate support and help from their caregiving responsibilities. The top four resources the sample identified would be useful in their role as a caregiver were grants or other financial aid for childcare/adult care costs (45.3%), connections to community resources (29.3%), clear policies for dependent-related absences (27.2%), and subsidized support for care (26%, Table 5).
The purpose of this study was to assess the current prevalence of student caregivers and parents, their desires for institutionally supported resources, and identify opportunities for interventions an a university setting in the United States. Due to the limited existing research on the impact of resources and stress among these underrepresented populations, the research team aimed to add and provide recommendations for future research and interventions. Many college resources are not designed or made with caregivers or parents in mind.
The percentage of students who reported being a caregiver was slightly higher (26%) than other studies (20%).10 This could be due to Boise State University being located in a larger city and being a commuter university whereas other institutions used in other studies may have been located in smaller areas. Boise State also has a wide variety of online programs, which could increase the feasibility of attending school for caregivers and parents as over half of the caregiver or parent students in our study were online students.
With the majority of participants reporting being worried about balancing their academic responsibilities and caregiving, there is a need for appropriate and effective resources for this population. Participants reported the resources that would be most useful included financial aid for childcare/adult care costs, connections to resources, clear policies for dependent-related absences, and subsidized support for care. This is not surprising with other studies identifying that over half of student caregivers who reported an impact on their financial ability had to borrow money or take out a loan, even though 86% worked either full or part-time.1 In addition, 66% of student caregivers who were impacted financially reported being very concerned about being able to continue attending school and 14% had to stop going to school.1
The resource that was most requested among participants was financial aid for childcare or adult care costs. This is not surprising with the average cost of childcare per year in Idaho being $7,474 ($623 per month) for an infant and $6,454 ($538 per month) for a 4-year-old.11 Childcare for an infant costs approximately 3% more per year than in-state tuition at a four-year public college in Idaho.11 In 2022, in-home care and home-health care had median costs of $5,434 per month in Idaho.12 Adult Day care services cost about $2,167 per month in Idaho.12 With just over a quarter of participants reported subsidized support for care as an important and needed resource, effort should turn to evaluating the financial burden put on non-traditional students.
With two of the top four requested resources pertaining to financial assistance, this needs to be addressed by college campuses. Universities can provide grants and financial assistance to student caregivers like Northwestern University.13 Northwestern University has a center-based fee assistance program where they partner with childcare centers in the community to offer reduced childcare costs for eligible families of the Northwestern community (staff, faculty, and students).13 On top of this, they have a grant called Northwestern’s Portable Caregiving Grant that fills in the gap for those family caregivers who need financial assistance with other care centers outside of their childcare community partnerships.13 This includes financial assistance with home daycares and in-home care.13 Opportunities to support non-traditional student populations provide a great opportunity to increase their success in achieving higher education and reduce the likelihood of dropping out.
The second most asked-for resource was facilitation in connecting to community resources, otherwise known as navigation.14 Several universities offer services like this to their students on campus. One is Boise State University with their program, the Family Caregiver Navigator (FCN) program, housed in the Idaho Caregiver Alliance in the School of Population and Public Health. The FCN Program trains navigators to help family caregivers statewide connect to resources free of charge.15 The challenge is letting students, faculty, and staff know about this useful resource. The Idaho Caregiver Alliance and Boise State University should work together to spread the word about the FCN program to students, faculty, and staff. Another program is The Center for the Education of Women+ (CEW+) at the University of Michigan has several student caregiver and parent supports in place including advocacy groups like the Student Caregiver Excellence Committee and Michigan Caregivers and Student Parents (MCaSP), as well as resources for staff on how to best support student caregivers, how to create a child-friendly space and a student caregiver syllabus statement.16 Other campus resources include their counseling health clinics, childcare programs (Subsidies and community childcare partnerships), and on-campus lactation resources.16
Currently, student caregivers do not feel supported due to 57% reporting their school has no family caregiver support policies or guidelines and 53% reported their school having no family caregiver-related resources or information.1 This fact aligns with over a quarter of this study’s participants requested clear policies for dependent-related classroom absences. Colleges should consider implementing policies and trainings for faculty and staff on the prevalence of student caregivers and parents (national data and campus-specific), how to identify student caregivers, awareness of policies for both parents and family caregivers, and directing student caregivers to university-based resources.1 Staff and faculty clearly understanding policies around caregivers and parents could make students feel more heard, supported, and understood creating more public awareness. These changes should help increase the perceived awareness of resources that institutions have, since current awareness of these types of resources are very low among caregivers.1 The majority of student caregivers think schools have a responsibility to provide flexibility/accommodations (66%) and resources (51%). These accommodations and resources include flexibility with assignments and attendance, counseling, and support groups.1
There are a few limitations that need to be discussed with this study. Convenience sampling limited the generalizability of this study’s findings due to being conducted solely within one university campus. The findings may not be generalizable to other universities. Student caregiving impacts and resources needed may change throughout the semester and year, given that this study was conducted during the beginning of the academic year.
It is not surprising that caregivers and parents face unique challenges when trying to complete their higher education journey. These findings shared in this article identify that there are multiple places where institutions may be able to impact the outcomes of these nontraditional students to support their success. Identifying university resources to support financial challenges and creating clear policies to support students during necessary absences is a great place to start. Future research should investigate whether or not needs or desired resources change based on the type of higher education (university, community college, trade school, etc.) and program. Additional research should also look into pilot testing some of the interventions identified to ensure the impact is being seen in this non-traditional student population.
Thank you to the student who participated in the study and the Idaho Caregiver Alliance for supporting the efforts. Thank you to the student who participated in the study and the Idaho Caregiver Alliance for supporting the efforts.
The author(s) have no relevant financial disclosures or conflicts of interest.
Dr. Taylor Neher is an assistant professor at the School of Public and Population Health at Boise State University. Her research areas include youth and young adult well-being and mental health. She received her formal training from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Edwina French is a graduate of the Masters of Public Health Program at the School of Public and Population Health at Boise State University. She also is a Certified Health Education Specialist with a passion for research and education. She is currently the Communications & Evaluation Coordinator at the Idaho Caregiver Alliance at Boise State University.
Ashlyn Mills is a recent graduate of the Masters of Public Health Program at the School of Public and Population Health at Boise State University.
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