RESUMO
Caregiving burden has been shown to predict use of home care services among Anglo Americans. In a previous study, only one of two dimensions of caregiving burden predicted such use among Mexican American caregivers. Because acculturation and familism may affect burden, we conducted analyses to test three hypotheses: increased acculturation decreases familism; decreased familism increases burden; and increased burden increases use of home care services. Among 140 Mexican American family caregivers, acculturation was positively correlated with familism; familism was not significantly correlated with burden; objective burden was positively correlated with use of home care services, and objective and subjective burden significantly interacted in their effect on the use of home care services. Targeted interventions may be needed to increase use of home care services and preserve the well-being of Mexican American elders and caregivers.
Assuntos
Serviços de Saúde para Idosos/normas , Americanos Mexicanos , Aculturação , Idoso , Efeitos Psicossociais da Doença , Família , Feminino , Serviços de Saúde para Idosos/economia , Serviços de Assistência Domiciliar/economia , Humanos , Masculino , Responsabilidade Social , Estados UnidosRESUMO
Mexican American (MA) elders are more functionally impaired at younger ages than other elders yet use home care services (HCS) less. To determine the possible reasons, nine questionnaires were completed in Spanish or English by MA elders and caregivers living in southern Arizona (N = 280). Contextual, personal, and attitudinal factors were significantly associated with the use of HCS, and cultural/ethnic factors were significantly associated with confidence in HCS. Interventions should be designed and tested to increase the use of HCS by MA elders by increasing service awareness and confidence in HCS while preserving the expectations of familism and reducing caregiving burden.