title: Depression among older Mexican American caregivers.
abstract: The authors compared depression levels between older Mexican American caregivers and noncaregivers while controlling for confounds identified but not controlled in past research. Mexican American caregivers and noncaregivers (N = 114) ages 65 and older were matched on age, gender, socioeconomic status, self-reported health, and acculturation. Caregivers reported higher scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D) and were more likely to score in the depressed range than noncaregivers. In a regression model with all participants, group classification (caregiver vs. noncaregiver) and health significantly predicted CES-D scores. A model with only caregivers that included caregiver burden, self-rated health, and gender significantly predicted CES-D scores, with only caregiver burden entering the regression equation. These results suggest that older Mexican American caregivers are more depressed than noncaregivers, as has been found in younger populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: Silvia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bigatti
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology