Correlates of caregiver burden among family caregivers of older Korean Americans

Abstract

Objectives: Despite the rapid growth of older ethnic minority populations, knowledge is limited about informal caregiving among these groups. Our aim was to identify correlates of caregiver burden among family caregivers of older Korean Americans (KAs).

Method: A cross-sectional survey collected data from 146 KA caregivers. Using a modified stress-appraisal model, we examined background and context characteristics (caregiver sex, relationship to care recipient, college education, English proficiency, time in caregiving role, family support network, friend support network), a primary stressor (care recipient functional dependency), a primary appraisal (caregiving hours), and resources (family agreement, care management self-efficacy, service use self-efficacy) as potential correlates of caregiver burden. Interactions between the primary stressor, primary appraisal, and resources were also tested.

Results: Being female and the care recipient's spouse were associated with higher burden. Conversely, a larger family support network, greater family agreement, and greater care management self-efficacy were associated with lower burden. A significant interaction was detected between functional dependency and family agreement; higher levels of family agreement moderated the association between care recipient functional dependency and caregiver burden.

Discussion: Interventions to reduce caregiver burden in KA caregivers may be more effective if they include approaches specifically designed to build family support, improve family agreement, and increase caregivers' self-efficacy.