The Influence of Ethnicity and Gender on Caregiver Health in Older New Zealanders

• Published in: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences Psychological sciences and social sciences, 2013-09, Vol.68 (5), p.783-793
• Main Authors: ALPASS, Fiona, POND, Rachael, STEPHENS, Christine, STEVENSON, Brendan, KEELING, Sally, TOWERS, Andy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aging problems. Death; Biological and medical sciences; Caregivers; Caregivers - statistics & numerical data; Carers; Data Collection; Ethnicity; Female; Gender; Health; Health Status; Humans; Male; Maori; Medical sciences; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Native peoples; New Zealand - epidemiology; Older people; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Sex Factors; Sociology; Sociology of the family. Age groups; White People - statistics & numerical data; Womens health
• ISSN: 1079-5014; 1758-5368; 1758-5368
• DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbt060

We examined the interrelationships between ethnicity, gender, and caregiving on the health of older New Zealanders. We hypothesized that those providing higher levels of care and more care across time would have poorer health outcomes and that these relationships would be moderated by ethnicity and gender. A representative sample of participants (N = 2,155) aged 54-70 years from the first 2 waves of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study completed postal surveys in 2006 and 2008. Caregiving questions were adapted from the Australian Women's Health study, and health measures were derived from the SF36 Health Survey. Women and Māori (indigenous New Zealanders) were more likely to provide care than men and non-Māori. Respondents providing higher levels of care reported poorer mental health and this was particularly true of Māori and female caregivers. Male Māori caregivers providing the highest level of care reported the poorest mental health. Level of care was unrelated to physical health. There was minimal evidence for changes in health over time based on caregiver status. The poorer health of caregivers supports previous findings on the detrimental health effects of caregiving. Caregiving may have more detrimental effects on Māori health outcomes due to existing inequalities in health, barriers to formal support services, and the multiple roles of elder Māori.