With more and more people of all ages living with chronic illnesses, greater numbers of family and friends become caregivers. A major focus of health professionals and scientists is to
maximize quality of life among those living with illness and those caring for them. As health care systems around the world become limited in what people can afford, informal supports –
primarily family and close friends – are being called on to care for ill people. Yet, the task of providing care takes a toll on caregivers’ health and well-being, including depression,
social and family strains, increased physical illness, and diminished quality of life. Caregiving in the Illness Context synthesizes current research and brings attention to how personal,
social and structural factors affect caregivers and how the research literature has informed emerging interventions to help caregivers.
