Health and Health Behaviors Among Female Caregivers of Elderly Relatives with Dementia

Abstract

This study examined ethnic and kinship status differences in health behavior patterns, self-rated health, and health conditions in an ethnically diverse sample of 256 female family dementia caregivers. The findings revealed that Latina caregivers rated their health as significantly worse than their Caucasian counterparts. Moreover, Latina caregivers were observed to be significantly more likely to eat fewer than two meals per day or to have gained more than 10 lbs. in 6 months, and to have had difficulty with bouts of dizziness. Caucasian caregivers were significantly more likely to smoke, have a heart condition, and experience gastrointestinal difficulties. With respect to kinship status, daughter caregivers were more likely to have experienced recent weight gain, to have high blood pressure, or a chronic lung condition than spousal caregivers. The findings suggest that specific interventions, designed to address the unique patterns of health behaviors and conditions observed across ethnicity and kinship status, may be needed to improve the health behavior patterns of specific populations of caregivers.