The Gerontologist
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Navaie-Waliser, M.
Right arrow Articles by Donelan, K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Navaie-Waliser, M.
Right arrow Articles by Donelan, K.
The Gerontologist 41:733-741 (2001)
© 2001 The Gerontological Society of America

The Experiences and Challenges of Informal Caregivers

Common Themes and Differences Among Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics

Maryam Navaie-Waliser, Dr.PHa, Penny H. Feldman, PhDa, David A. Gould, PhDb, Carol Levine, MAb, Alexis N. Kuerbis, BAb and Karen Donelan, ScDc

a Center for Home Care Policy and Research, Visiting Nurse Service of New York, NY
b United Hospital Fund, New York, NY
c Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

Correspondence: Maryam Navaie-Waliser, Dr.PH, Senior Research Associate, Center for Home Care Policy and Research, Visiting Nurse Service of New York, 5 Penn Plaza, 11th floor, New York, NY 10001. E-mail: maryam.navaie{at}vnsny.org.

Decision Editor: Laurence G. Branch, PhD

Purpose: This study examined commonalities and differences in the experiences and challenges of White, Black, and Hispanic informal caregivers in New York, NY. Design and Methods: A randomly selected representative cross-section of 2,241 households was contacted through telephone interviews. Complete data were available for 380 eligible participants, who were classified as White (n = 164), Black (n = 129) and Hispanic (n = 87). Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine differences in caregiving intensity, reported difficulty with providing care, and having unmet needs with care provision. Results: Over 70% of caregivers had no help from formal caregivers, even though over 80% had been providing care for at least 1 year, and 40% had been providing this care for 20 or more hr per week. Compared with White caregivers, Black caregivers were more likely to provide higher intensity care, to report having unmet needs with care provision, and to experience increased religiosity since becoming caregivers, but were less likely to report difficulty with providing care. Hispanic caregivers were more likely than White caregivers to have help from formal caregivers and to experience increased religiosity since becoming caregivers. Implications: Although many similarities exist in the experiences and challenges of informal caregivers, gaining insight from different populations of family caregivers would help program planners, policy makers, and formal caregivers to develop and implement culturally sensitive programs and policies that are supportive of the needs of these caregivers in their ever-expanding roles. Future efforts also should focus on exploring the potentially significant role that community resources, in particular, religious institutions, could play in providing outreach and support to racial/ethnic minority caregivers.

Key Words: Ethnicity • Race • Home care • Informal care • Religiosity




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
J Health PsycholHome page
R. Banthia, J. T. Moskowitz, M. Acree, and S. Folkman
Socioeconomic Differences in the Effects of Prayer on Physical Symptoms and Quality of Life
J Health Psychol, March 1, 2007; 12(2): 249 - 260.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
GerontologistHome page
J. Hannum Rose, K. F. Bowman, E. E. O'Toole, K. Abbott, T. E. Love, C. Thomas, and N. V. Dawson
Caregiver Objective Burden and Assessments of Patient-Centered, Family-Focused Care for Frail Elderly Veterans
Gerontologist, February 1, 2007; 47(1): 21 - 33.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Transcult NursHome page
M. I. Wallhagen and N. Yamamoto-Mitani
The Meaning of Family Caregiving in Japan and the United States: A Qualitative Comparative Study
J Transcult Nurs, January 1, 2006; 17(1): 65 - 73.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
GerontologistHome page
L. W. Li and B. E. Fries
Elder Disability as an Explanation for Racial Differences in Informal Home Care
Gerontologist, April 1, 2005; 45(2): 206 - 215.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GerontologistHome page
M. Pinquart and S. Sorensen
Ethnic Differences in Stressors, Resources, and Psychological Outcomes of Family Caregiving: A Meta-Analysis
Gerontologist, February 1, 2005; 45(1): 90 - 106.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DementiaHome page
M. C. Nightingale
Religion, Spirituality, and Ethnicity: What it Means for Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders
Dementia, October 1, 2003; 2(3): 379 - 391.
[Abstract] [PDF]




HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
All GSA journals Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Copyright © 2001 by The Gerontological Society of America.