Evidence on social and economic dimensions of informal caregiving in Slovenia

Ponikvar, Nina (author), Ražman, Sara (author), Redek, Tjaša (author), Došenović Bonča, Petra (author)

Purpose: This paper examines key socio-demographic and health characteristics of informal caregivers and selected lifestyle pattern indicators in Slovenia. It also provides estimates of the economic value of unpaid caregiving. Design/methodology/approach: Using nationally representative data (n =1,075) collected in 2025 through a comprehensive questionnaire, we provide evidence on caregiver profiles through logistic regression modelling. Findings: The results indicate that older age and engagement in flexible or self-directed forms of employment significantly increase the likelihood of providing informal care, while notable differences emerge in the prevalence of specific health conditions, mental well-being indicators, and lifestyle patterns between caregivers and non-caregivers. Self-reported general health status does not differ significantly across the two groups, yet caregivers exhibit higher rates of musculoskeletal disorders, injuries, and certain chronic conditions. By combining data from the questionnaire with estimates from other large-scale studies on caregivers’ and their caregiving time, we estimate the economic value of unpaid caregiving at €2.1–€4.1 billion, representing approximately 3–6% of Slovenia’s GDP. Academic contribution to the field: This study contributes to the academic literature by providing the important nationally representative evidence on the socio-demographic, health, and lifestyle characteristics of informal caregivers in Slovenia. It advances research on the economics of care by combining caregiver profiling with macroeconomic valuation, thereby linking micro-level health and employment data with macro-level cost estimates of unpaid caregiving. Research implications: The findings underscore the substantial but largely unrecognised contribution of informal caregivers to the national long-term care system and emphasise the importance of considering the burden of informal care in designing not only social and health policies but also labour market measures addressing the well-being and workability of caregivers, thereby enabling sustainable complementarity between informal care and formal care systems. The evidence highlights the need to integrate support for informal caregivers into social, health, and labour market policies to sustain their ability to work and ensure the complementarity of informal and formal care. Future research could build on these findings by adopting longitudinal approaches to assess causal effects of caregiving on health and labour market outcomes. Originality/significance/value: This study combines nationally representative survey data on caregiver characteristics in Slovenia with macroeconomic valuation of unpaid caregiving, providing novel evidence for policy and research.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Slovenia, long-term care, employment of invalids, well-being
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FU - Faculty of Administration
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.05.2026
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 97-126
• Numbering: Vol. 24, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-184150
• UDC: 342.7
• ISSN on article: 2591-2240
• DOI: 10.17573/cepar.2026.1.04
• COBISS.SI-ID: 279204867
• Publication date in RUL: 01.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Central European public administration review
• Shortened title: CEPAR
• Publisher: Fakulteta za upravo
• ISSN: 2591-2240
• COBISS.SI-ID: 293849600

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Dokazi o socialnih in ekonomskih razsežnostih neformalne oskrbe v Sloveniji

Abstract

Namen: članek obravnava ključne socio-demografske in zdravstvene značilnosti neformalnih oskrbovalcev v Sloveniji ter izbrane kazalnike njihovih življenjskih vzorcev. Poleg tega podaja oceno ekonomske vrednosti neplačane oskrbe. Zasnova/metodologija/pristop: na podlagi nacionalno reprezentativnih podatkov (n = 1.075), zbranih leta 2025 s celovitim vprašalnikom, z uporabo logistične regresije predstavljamo dokaze o profilih oskrbovalcev. Ugotovitve: rezultati kažejo, da višja starost ter vključenost v prožne ali samostojno usmerjane oblike zaposlitve pomembno povečujeta verjetnost zagotavljanja neformalne oskrbe. Med oskrbovalci in neoskrbovalci se kažejo tudi opazne razlike v razširjenosti posameznih zdravstvenih stanj, kazalnikih duševnega blagostanja in življenjskih vzorcih. Samoocenjeno splošno zdravstveno stanje se med skupinama ne razlikuje pomembno, vendar so med oskrbovalci pogostejše mišično-skeletne motnje, poškodbe in nekatera kronična stanja. Z združitvijo podatkov iz vprašalnika z ocenami iz drugih obsežnih študij o oskrbovalcih in času, ki ga namenjajo oskrbi, ekonomsko vrednost neplačane oskrbe ocenjujemo na 2,1–4,1 milijarde evrov, kar je približno 3–6 % slovenskega BDP. Akademski prispevek k področju: študija prispeva k akademski literaturi s prvimi nacionalno reprezentativnimi dokazi o socio-demografskih, zdravstvenih in življenjskih značilnostih neformalnih oskrbovalcev v Sloveniji. Raziskovanje ekonomike oskrbe nadgrajuje s povezovanjem profiliranja oskrbovalcev z makroekonomskim vrednotenjem ter tako povezuje podatke o zdravju in zaposlenosti na mikro ravni z ocenami stroškov neplačane oskrbe na makro ravni. Implikacije za raziskave: ugotovitve poudarjajo velik, toda večinoma nepriznan prispevek neformalnih oskrbovalcev k nacionalnemu sistemu dolgotrajne oskrbe. Hkrati poudarjajo pomen upoštevanja bremena neformalne oskrbe pri oblikovanju socialnih in zdravstvenih politik ter ukrepov na trgu dela, ki zajemajo blagostanje in delovno zmožnost oskrbovalcev. S tem je mogoče podpreti trajnostno dopolnjevanje neformalne oskrbe in formalnih sistemov oskrbe. Dokazi kažejo na potrebo po vključevanju podpore neformalnim oskrbovalcem v socialne, zdravstvene in delovnotržne politike, da bi ohranili njihovo zmožnost za delo ter zagotovili komplementarnost neformalne in formalne oskrbe. Prihodnje raziskave bi lahko te ugotovitve nadgradile z longitudinalnimi pristopi, ki bi omogočili oceno vzročnih učinkov oskrbovanja na zdravje in izide na trgu dela. Izvirnost/pomen/vrednost: študija nacionalno reprezentativne anketne podatke o značilnostih oskrbovalcev v Sloveniji združuje z makroekonomskim vrednotenjem neplačane oskrbe ter s tem ponuja nove dokaze za oblikovanje politik in nadaljnje raziskave.

• Keywords: Slovenija, dolgotrajna oskrba, zaposlovanje invalidov, dobro počutje