Informal Support Patterns of Older African-American and White Women

Abstract

In this study of informal support patterns of older African-American and White women, a particular focus is the examination of potential interaction effects between race and variables representing three major areas of life experience: family, paid work, and religious participation. Using data from the National Survey of Families and Household, results from regression analyses show statistically significant interaction effects between race and religious participation. Specifically, for four dependent variables measuring dimensions of giving and receiving help, attendance at religious social events was more important in predicting the informal support patterns of older African-American women than those of older White women. These results provide support for Taylor's recommendation that formal service providers use the organizational structure of churches to more effectively provide services to African-American elderly. Results from this study also raise questions concerning whether the hierarchy of primary care providers reported in the caregiving literature is applicable to members of different racial or ethnic groups.