supervisory care; care work; time-use surveys; cognitive testing
Abstract
The provision of unpaid care meets fundamental needs of present and future generations alike. A number of nationally-representative time use surveys, including many conducted in Latin America, look beyond reports of time devoted to specific activities to ask respondents about responsibilities for remaining vigilant and physically available to assist young children and /or adults experiencing illness or disability even if not providing active care. Such supervisory care imposes significant constraints on women in particular, but is difficult to accurately measure. The qualitative research reported here, based on intensive interviews conducted with a small group of family care providers in Mexico City, helps explain why respondents often misunderstand questions regarding time devoted to the care of dependents. This misunderstanding has repercussions for reported time in supervisory care, which is usually underreported or omitted in time-use measurement. The paper also offers specific recommendations for improved survey design. Accurate data on supervisory care can inform public policies to broaden the spectrum of public and private services.