Preventive Services Use Among African American and Latino Adult Caregivers in South Los Angeles

Abstract

Background The burden of informal caregiving is significant and well-documented, yet the evidence is mixed as to whether being a caregiver presents an additional barrier to receiving recommended preventive care. Objectives To determine whether (1) caregivers compared to non-caregivers were less likely to receive preventive health services; and (2) higher intensity caregivers were less likely to receive preventive health services than lower intensity caregivers. Research Design, Subjects, and Measures Data were from a telephone survey of Latino and African American adults 50 years or older in South Los Angeles (n=702). Outcomes were flu vaccination, pneumococcal vaccination, and colorectal cancer screening. Logistic regression models adjusted for predisposing, enabling, and need factors according to the Andersen Model of Access to Health Care for Low-Income Populations. Results Caregiver type (e.g., adult child, non-related) was associated with varying odds of receiving a preventive service. Caregivers had lower odds than non-caregivers of receiving preventive services although odds of receiving a flu vaccination improved slightly for caregivers of persons with memory loss compared to other caregivers. More weekly caregiving hours was associated with higher odds of receiving flu vaccination (AOR 1.1, 95% CI=1.0, 1.1) or colorectal cancer screening (AOR 1.1, 95% CI=1.0, 1.1). Caregivers and non-caregivers age 65 and older or with chronic conditions were more likely to receive vaccinations. Conclusions Preventive service use was influenced by characteristics of the caregiving situation. An opportunity may exist to leverage care recipients’ ongoing contact with health care providers to increase caregivers’ own access to preventive services.

Long-Term Mental Health Outcomes in Mothers and Siblings of Children With Cancer: A Population-Based, Matched Cohort Study

“…47 However, caregivers of adult patients are less likely to receive flu shots, be adherent to medications, or engage in preventative health services. [48][49][50][51] Thus, our results may in fact underestimate the elevated risk among mothers and siblings. Second, although administrative data validly measure the burden of mental illness, 52 our data would not have captured mental health visits with nonphysician providers (eg, psychologists, social workers).…”

The Cost of Caring: Economic Vulnerability, Serious Emotional Distress, and Poor Health Behaviors Among Paid and Unpaid Family and Friend Caregivers

“…Prior research has observed negative associations between caregiving and various health measures. Informal caregiving can result in negative emotional health effects for caregivers (Benjamin, Matthias, & Franke, 2000;Garand, Dew, Eazor, DeKosky, & Reynolds, 2005), unhealthy behaviors (Hoffman, Lee, & Mendez-Luck, 2012;Mendez-Luck, Walker, & Luck, 2016), and negative longer term physical health outcomes (Capistrant, Berkman, & Glymour, 2014).…”

The intersectional importance of race/ethnicity, disability, and age in flu vaccine uptake for U.S. adults

“…In the future, qualitative studies exploring the motivations and attitudes of racial/ethnic and disability intersectional groups, stratified by age, will better contextualize and inform policy makers about effective strategies to improve flu vaccine uptake for marginalized and at-risk groups. This research could help verify and explain how expanded site and hours of operation for working-aged adults, as well as family and caregiving contexts ( Mendez-Luck, Walker, & Luck, 2016 ), play decision-making roles in getting flu vaccinations for racial/ethnic, disability, and age intersectional groups. First-hand data will be useful to confirm or challenge our speculations about the positive impact of healthcare policies, initiatives, and generational differences.…”