Foley, Ronan (2008) Geographies of informal care in Ireland, 2002-2006. Irish Geography, 41 (3). pp. 261-278. ISSN 0075-0778

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Abstract

Given the increasing role that informal caregivers play in the Irish health, social and economic systems, this short empirical paper outlines and maps the spatial distribution of caregivers from the 2002 and 2006 Censuses to provide some preliminary insights into patterns of caregiving in Ireland. The primary tasks involved mapping the distribution of carers at small area-level in both 2002 and 2006 and noting specific changes in patterns from the 2006 data. Patterns of informal caring are discussed in relation to: (a) clusters and concentrations (as measured by location quotients), (b) specific distributions related to intensities of caring, (c) key changes noted between 2002 and 2006 and (d) some preliminary explorations of explanatory data. Associations were identified between high-intensity caring and age, social class, deprivation and working in the home. Finally, potential applied policy uses for data for informal caring are identified including needs assessment and as an evidence base for modelling spatial service equity.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is an electronic version of an article published in Ronan Foley (2008): Geographies of informal care in Ireland, 2002–2006, Irish Geography, 41:3, 261-278. Irish Geography is available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00750770802506949
Keywords:	carers; informal care; spatial distributions; equity; health geography;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography
Item ID:	3562
Depositing User:	Dr. Ronan Foley
Date Deposited:	04 Apr 2012 14:37
Journal or Publication Title:	Irish Geography
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/0...
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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