Abstract TMP44: Ethnic Differences in Informal Caregiving After Stroke: The Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) Project

Abstract

Background and Aims: We studied informal (non-paid) caregiving after stroke in a population-based study to determine if differences occurred between Mexican Americans (MAs) and non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). MAs are a less affluent population than NHWs. Family members who provide caregiving may need to interrupt educational and occupational goals to provide this care, which may perpetuate socioeconomic disparities between minority and majority populations. Methods: Between October, 2014 and December, 2016, stroke subjects in Texas, USA, were interviewed 90 days after stroke to determine if family or friends provided informal, unpaid caregiving, and for which activities of daily living (ADLs) they required help. Chi-square tests were used to assess the association of ethnicity and whom provided the caregiving, as well as ethnicity and the ADLs for which they required help. Ethnic differences between MAs and NHWs in receiving informal caregiving were determined using logistic regression. The odds ratio (OR, 95% CI) is reported with NHW as the referent group. Results: 473 subjects answered the caregiving questions. There were no significant differences among the two ethnic groups with respect to age, sex, NIHSS score, marital status, or insurance. MAs were more likely to require help compared with NHWs for walking (p=0.0008), bathing (p=0.0004), hygiene (p=0.0018), eating (p=0.0059), dressing (p<0.0001), moving (p=0.0015) and toileting (p=0.0007). Among all subjects, 144 (30%) received informal caregiving (35% of 300 MAs versus 22% of 173 NHWs). There were no significant ethnic differences among which family member provided the caregiving. MAs were more likely to have informal caregiving OR=1.87 (95% CI 1.11-3.13) adjusted for age, sex, NIHSS, education, insurance and marital status. Conclusions: In this population-based study, MAs required more help than NHWs for assistance with ADLs, and MAs were more likely to receive this help through informal, unpaid caregiving than NHWs. Efforts to help minority and low-resource populations provide stroke care are needed.