Abstract
Aging of the population has led to an increasing number of caregivers. While research has been conducted on caregiver experiences, less is known about the experiences of African American males in the U.S. This qualitative descriptive study describes the experiences of 13 African American men who acted as caregivers to adult chronically ill or debilitated loved ones, the majority of whom provided care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The revised Sociocultural Stress and Coping Model (R-SSCM) guided this study. Individual interviews were conducted via the Zoom application. Content analysis revealed four themes: (1) “My time to take the reins”, (2) “It’s a male thang”, (3) “Caring amid a pandemic”, and (4) “Effects of the caregiver’s journey”. This study’s findings in relation to the literature provide overdue attention to the African American male caregiving experience, especially in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The implications of our findings include the need for more culturally congruent support services for African American male caregivers, as well as increased efforts to encourage trust in the healthcare system—especially in relation to vaccination for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Highlights
The United Nations (UN) reports that for the first time in human history there are more older adults than young; in 2019 there were 703 million adults over the age of 65 worldwide, which is expected to double to 1.5 billion by 2050 [1]
While women have historically been the primary caregivers of older family members, more men are increasingly assuming roles as family caregivers [3]
In the U.S, 39% of caregivers are men and, of this group, 34% identify as African American [2]
Summary
The United Nations (UN) reports that for the first time in human history there are more older adults than young; in 2019 there were 703 million adults over the age of 65 worldwide, which is expected to double to 1.5 billion by 2050 [1]. Living longer increases the likelihood of needing caregiver assistance in older age. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)’s 2020 Report on Caregiving [2] documents that in the United. States (U.S.) an estimated 48 million Americans are caregivers to an adult. In the U.S, 39% of caregivers are men and, of this group, 34% identify as African American [2]. While the average age of all caregivers is 49.9 years of age, the average age for African American caregivers is 47.7 [2]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
