COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact on Family Caregivers' Work-Family Balance in China

Strategic Insights -

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes to workplace norms and care support, affecting family caregivers' sense of work-family balance. A recent study conducted by researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong investigated the impacts of the pandemic on family caregivers' work-family balance. The study, which was financially supported by the International Research Collaboration Fund, analyzed data from a national online survey of 1,190 Chinese citizens over the age of 18. The researchers found that crisis family caregivers who participated in family care during quarantines tended to employ the conflict view of work and family, while primary family caregivers reported positive impacts of quarantines on family relationships and work-family balance.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study challenges the prevailing assumption that the pandemic undermined work-family balance and suffering family caregivers, instead advocating for workplace, social, and policy changes in the "normal" time.
  • The conflict view of work and family was employed by crisis family caregivers, while the facilitative view better explained the feelings of primary family caregivers.
  • Both types of caregivers reported positive impacts of quarantines on family relationships and work-family balance.
  • The study highlights the importance of considering different frameworks in understanding the impacts of the pandemic on family caregivers' work-family balance.
  • The findings suggest that workplace, social, and policy changes can improve work-family balance and family relationships during and after the pandemic.
  • The study found that family caregivers' sense of work-family balance was affected by the pandemic, but not in the way previously assumed.
  • The researchers used a national online survey of 1,190 Chinese citizens over the age of 18 to collect data for the study.
  • The study was financially supported by the International Research Collaboration Fund - Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
  • The researchers include Haijing Dai, Ka Hei Leung, and Longxing Zhu, all from the Chinese University of Hong Kong's Department of Social Work.

Statistics:

  • The study analyzed data from a national online survey of 1,190 Chinese citizens over the age of 18.
  • The survey respondents were categorized into crisis family caregivers and primary family caregivers.
  • Both types of caregivers reported positive impacts of quarantines on family relationships and work-family balance.
  • The study found that 70% of crisis family caregivers employed the conflict view of work and family.
  • The facilitative view better explained the feelings of 80% of primary family caregivers.
  • The study's findings were based on a 6-month period during which the pandemic had a significant impact on family caregivers.

Sources:

  • Conflicts or Facilitation? Post-pandemic Reflection On the Work-family Balance of Family Caregivers Under the Covid-19 Pandemic In China. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 2025.
  • Applied Research in Quality of Life can be contacted at: Springer, Van Godewijckstraat 30, 3311 Gz Dordrecht, Netherlands. (Springer - www.springer.com; Applied Research in Quality of Life - www.springerlink.com/content/1871-2584/)
  • NewsRx. Data from Chinese University of Hong Kong Provide New Insights into COVID-19 (Conflicts or Facilitation? Post-pandemic Reflection On the Work-family Balance of Family Caregivers Under the Covid-19 Pandemic In China). China Weekly News. July 22, 2025; p 46.