Nearly half of caregivers in Puerto Rico, 47%, have three or more chronic illnesses, led by high blood pressure (52.6%), high cholesterol (45.5%) and joint diseases such as arthritis, gout, lupus or fibromyalgia (34.3%), according to the report 'Perfil de Cuidadores Informales en Puerto Rico 2025.' The Healthy Aging Section of the Puerto Rico Department of Health produced the report from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey data, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday, November 10.
Other chronic conditions reported were depressive disorders (25.9%) and asthma (24.5%). Among caregivers, 78.7% are overweight or obese, 47.4% said they did no physical activity in the previous 30 days, 39.9% sleep six hours or less a day, and 46.5% reported at least one functional difficulty with mobility, hearing, vision or concentration. About 1 in 7 people aged 18 or older (14.6%, or 374,260 citizens) identified as an informal caregiver, providing regular unpaid help to a family member, partner or neighbor.
Of them, 59.6% are women, 54.2% are 60 or older, 55.1% are divorced, widowed, separated or single, and 54% have cared for someone continuously for five years or more. Also, 37.8% devote 40 hours or more a week to caregiving; 77.4% handle complex household tasks such as managing finances, preparing food or cleaning, and 54.2% give direct personal assistance with bathing, dressing, eating or medication.
In economic terms, 30.5% reported annual incomes below $20,000 and 35.9% described their general health as fair or poor.