Update: Recruitment is in full swing in both Phoenix and Tucson, with current caregiver participants ranging in age from 23 to 70 years. As yet, we have accessed caregivers who are siblings, daughters or sons, and nieces or nephews of care recipients, but no spouses. Length of caregiving varies, with 14% in early stage caregiving (1-12 months), 0% in middle stage (13-24 months), and 86% in late stage (25 months and over). Extensive data are being obtained for male caregivers and we are discovering that some families contain either multiple caregivers or care recipients.

The National Institute of Nursing Research has just awarded an additional $113, 259 supplement to the parent grant to support a student from a group under-represented in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences research workforce. Ms. Ebere Ume, a College of Nursing and Health Innovation PhD student, will be supported by the award. For two years, this talented student will learn research principles and techniques under Dr. Evans’ direction, with the goal of completing an advanced degree in nursing. The federal grant aims to increase numbers of researchers from diverse backgrounds, in an effort to improve the Nation's capacity to address and eliminate health disparities.

Original Article:

The College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University is conducting a research study of caregiving among and for Mexican Americans. The $1.8 million study, funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, is titled The Caregiving Trajectory for Community Dwelling Mexican-American Elders.

ASU Associate Professor of Nursing Bronwynne Evans, PhD, RN, principal investigator, said the purpose of the study is to investigate the burden of caregiving in this at-risk population by describing the level, circumstances, and consequences of caregiver burden/strain, and determining the impact of cultural and contextual variables on caregiving and caregiver gain, along with factors that lead to nursing home admission.

Co-investigators include Michael Belyea, PhD, research professor, nursing; David Coon, PhD, social and behavioral sciences professor; and Felipe Castro, MD, psychology professor from ASU; and Neva Crogan, PhD, University of Connecticut College of Nursing.

Caregiving burden among Hispanic caregivers is a little understood and growing problem. As a result, research to address caregiver burden and prevent institutionalization in these populations is critical. It is estimated that there are more than 42 million Hispanics in the U.S. with those age 65 and over expected to grow faster than any other racial or ethnic group, tripling in number by 2050. Thirteen percent of Hispanic households currently provide care to an adult age 50 or older whose life expectancy will increase to 87 years by 2050, surpassing all other ethnic groups. Given this dramatic shift in demographics, a burgeoning number of Hispanic families will be placed in a caregiving role.

The multisite, longitudinal, mixed-methods study will compare and contrast transitions and turning points in the caregiving; identify factors that support caregiving; and determine what factors are most important in delaying institutionalization.

The in-depth, systematic research into the caregiving trajectory should prove useful in designing interventions that are timed to occur simultaneously with known crisis points and help keep elders at home or to help families acknowledge when formal nursing home care should be sought.

Original Article Date: 8/25/08