Objective. This study examined the type, duration and intensity of care provision, perceived needs, and differential perceptions regarding the effects of caregiving on the physical and mental health of female caregivers across racial/ethnic groups. Methods. Telephone interviews were conducted with a randomly selected nationally representative cross-section of 1,002 informal caregivers, of whom 562 were women (n=437 white, n=82 black, and n=43 Hispanic). Weight-adjusted descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results. Compared to white women, racial/ethnic minority women were significantly less likely to be >49 years old, married, have completed high school, report difficulty with care provision and balancing caregiving with other responsibilities. Black women were more likely to be employed, care for someone <76 years of age, live with the care recipient, have >1 child and >3 adults in their households, provide >19 hours of care per week, provide higher intensity care in terms of frequent assistance with a greater number of ADLs and IADLs, and have unmet needs with care provision, as compared to white women. White and black women were more likely than Hispanic women to be primary caregivers and to care for someone with a serious illness but Hispanic women were more likely to report being in poor health and to experience increased religiosity since becoming caregivers. Conclusions. Women caregivers provide a large amount of care for long periods of time with little support from formal caregivers. Differences across racial/ethnic groups suggest that these women face a diverse set of challenges in their role as caregivers.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to: 1. Describe characteristic differences between female informal caregivers from different racial/ethnic backgrounds; 2. Describe differences in caregiving workload between female informal caregivers from different racial/ethnic backgrounds; and 3. Discuss the needs of female informal caregivers from different racial/ethnic backgrounds.
Keywords: Caregivers, Women
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.