title: Depression among Korean, Korean American, and Caucasian American family caregivers.
abstract: This study compared depressive symptoms among Korean, Korean American, and Caucasian American female family caregivers of older persons with dementia. The sample included Korean caregivers living in Seoul, Korea (KK); Korean American (KA) caregivers living in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas; and Caucasian American (CA) caregivers from the Chicago metropolitan area. KK caregivers were more likely to be daughters-in-law, KA caregivers were more likely to be daughters, and CA caregivers were more likely to be wives or daughters. Overall, wives were more depressed than daughters and daughters-in-law. KK caregivers were the most depressed of the three cultural groups. When caregiver relationship and cultural group were examined simultaneously, KK and KA wives were most depressed, and KA daughters-in-law were least depressed. Differences in culture and social role appeared to affect depressive symptoms among these caregivers. The findings suggest a need to further examine the associations between caregivers' relationships with their care recipients and their own emotional status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Mental Health, and Administrative Nursing, University of Illinois, Chicago College of Nursing, USA.
authors.forename: Eunice E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Carol J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Farran
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian / Q000208:ethnology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology*