Racial/ethnic differences in social support for dementia caregiving: Midlife women family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

This study explored racial/ethnic differences in social support among racial/ethnic minority midlife women who are family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease (MWPLAD) in the US. This secondary analysis used data from a cross-sectional online survey conducted among 136 MWPLAD. Structured questionnaires were used to assess the demographic and caregiving-related characteristics, perceived social support, and sociocultural factors. Moreover, the relative contributions of demographic and sociocultural factors to social support were evaluated by hierarchical linear regression analysis while controlling for race/ethnicity. Cultural justification for duty (β = .338, p < .001) and discrimination during caregiving (β = -.215, p = .014) were significant sociocultural influencing factors, and advanced age (β = -.188, p = .015) was significantly associated with low social support. Therefore, interventions based on social determinants of health are necessary to enhance social support among racial/ethnic MWPLAD.