Abstract
This study identifies the risk and protective factors associated with informal caregiving by older (≥70 years) Mexican Americans
and profiles caregiving arrangements. Overall, a greater number of informal caregivers (n = 92) were married and female. They also had higher physical functioning and better cognition than non-caregivers (n = 1,888) but fewer visited a physician regularly. Informal caregivers also showed an increased risk of depressive symptoms.
A third of caregivers spent more than 20 h/day caregiving and the majority (84%) of care recipients were family members. In
order to support the efforts of this disproportionately burdened caregiver group, increased social support and healthcare
services are needed.
and profiles caregiving arrangements. Overall, a greater number of informal caregivers (n = 92) were married and female. They also had higher physical functioning and better cognition than non-caregivers (n = 1,888) but fewer visited a physician regularly. Informal caregivers also showed an increased risk of depressive symptoms.
A third of caregivers spent more than 20 h/day caregiving and the majority (84%) of care recipients were family members. In
order to support the efforts of this disproportionately burdened caregiver group, increased social support and healthcare
services are needed.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s10597-012-9494-1
- Authors
- Angelica P. Herrera, Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Carolyn A. Mendez-Luck, Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Janice D. Crist, College of Nursing, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Matthew Lee Smith, Department of Health Promotion and Behavior, College of Public Health, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Ruth Warre, Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Marcia G. Ory, Department of Social and Behavioral Health, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA
- Kyriakos Markides, Division of Sociomedical Sciences, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Journal Community Mental Health Journal
- Online ISSN 1573-2789
- Print ISSN 0010-3853