1. Associations Among Family Caregivers' Perceptions of Loneliness, Choice, and Purpose: a Comparative Analysis Between Non-Hispanic Black Caregivers and Non-Hispanic White Caregivers in a Population-Based Sample.
- Author
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Qian, Yiqing, Matthews, Derrick D., Fisher, Edwin B., Muessig, Kathryn E., Song, Lixin, and Kent, Erin E.
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AFRICAN Americans , *LIFE , *RESEARCH funding , *LOGISTIC regression analysis , *LONELINESS , *DECISION making , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *FAMILY attitudes , *RACE , *ODDS ratio , *PSYCHOLOGY of caregivers , *SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors , *CONFIDENCE intervals , *PSYCHOLOGY of Native Americans , *CAREGIVER attitudes - Abstract
Background: Loneliness is a frequent experience among family members engaging in caregiving responsibilities and may vary across racial and ethnic groups. This study aimed to examine (a) the difference in loneliness between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White caregivers, (b) the associations between loneliness and perceptions of choice and purpose in caregiving, and (c) whether those associations with loneliness differ by caregivers' race. Method: Descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression were conducted in a population-based sample of 1000 caregivers (Black caregivers, n = 199; White caregivers, n = 801) from the 2020 Caregiving in the U.S. Study. The survey design was properly addressed. Key variables included loneliness (level of feeling alone about being a caregiver), choice (whether or not reporting a choice in taking on the caregiver responsibility), sense of purpose (level of purpose/meaning in life from caregiving), and race (Black/White). Models adjusted for caregiving characteristics (e.g., hour of caregiving) and sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age and education). Results: Black caregivers had lower odds of reporting a higher level vs. a lower level of loneliness than White caregivers (aOR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.47, 0.96). Reporting having no choice was associated with higher odds of a higher level of loneliness (aOR, 0.77, 95%CI = 0.67, 0.88). Higher sense of purpose scores were associated with lower odds of a higher level of loneliness (aOR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.71, 0.93). No significant moderation effects of race were found. Conclusion: Black caregivers reported lower loneliness scores than White caregivers. Reporting no choice and lower sense of purpose were associated with higher loneliness in both racial groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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