Review of research on the health of caregiving grandparents.
OBJECTIVE
To provide a critical review of research literature on the health of grandparents raising grandchildren, and identify directions for future research.


METHODS
Approaches used to access the research studies for this review included a comprehensive search using relevant electronic databases and a thorough examination of the references in each published study.


RESULTS
All studies but one were published after 1990. Samples consisted primarily of African-American and Caucasian grandmothers in the United States of America. Earlier studies tended to describe health and other related concepts while more recent studies began to examine relationships between concepts. Most of the studies had a cross-sectional design and only one evaluated interventions. Inconsistencies in the results of these studies were prevalent.


CONCLUSIONS
Evaluation studies, longitudinal designs, and more varied study samples including cross-cultural comparisons are needed to advance knowledge about grandparent caregivers' health.
Grinstead
Linda Nicholson
LN
Kirkhof School of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503, USA. grinstel@gvsu.edu
Leder
Sharon
S
Jensen
Susan
S
Bond
Linda
L
D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002668:Child Rearing / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012107:Research Design