The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #48028

Carolyn A. Mendez, MPH, Department of Community Health Sciences, UCLA School of Public Health, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, 310-794-0984, camendez@ucla.edu

Informal caregiving is an integral component of older Mexicans’ social resources network. The pervasive belief in Mexico is that the family, predominantly the woman, is the main caregiver to older family members. This study examines how women in a Mexico City suburb conceptualize caregiving to older relatives, with an emphasis on the roles that cultural and external factors play in the dissonance between women’s caregiving conceptualizations and behaviors. Data were collected through in-depth interviews of forty-two women on their caregiving experiences to elderly relatives. Results suggest that women conceptualize caregiving as a moral duty, obligation or expectation. Results also show that women overwhelmingly admit that caregiving is a difficult activity to maintain. Women experience psychological and emotional consequences that they describe as sad, despairing, exhausting and burdensome. Despite negative conceptualizations of the caregiving experience, however, women continue to care for their older relatives. Caregivers describe their own life situations as exceptions to the rule and justify the reasons for their involvement more than that of other family members. Results show that the dissonance between women’s negative conceptualizations and their behaviors is reflected in their desires not to burden their children when they grow old. Women do not want their children, particularly their daughters, to be saddled with caregiving responsibilities and instead want their children to make lives of their own. Results suggest that familial expectations, limited life options and financial pressures help explain the dissonance between women’s conceptualizations of caregiving, their behaviors, and the hopes they have for their children.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to
• identify three conceptualizations of caregiving, and
• describe the cultural and economic factors that contribute to women’s dissonance in their caregiving conceptualizations and caregiving behaviors.

Keywords: Caregivers, International

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.