Acculturation and depressive symptoms among Mexican American elders new to the caregiving role: results from the Hispanic-EPESE.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics associated with becoming a caregiver among Mexican American (MA) elders and to examine predictors of depressive symptoms among the new caregivers 2 years later.


METHODS
Drawn from the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (H-EPESE), 152 MA recent caregivers and 2,023 other MAs were compared. Residualized change regression analysis was conducted.


RESULTS
At baseline, MAs who had recently become caregivers exhibited a significantly greater number of depressive symptoms compared to those who had not. Controlling for background characteristics, physical health, social support, and baseline depressive symptoms, regression analysis revealed that 2 years later higher acculturation was related to a greater number of depressive symptoms among those who at baseline were new caregivers.


CONCLUSIONS
Better knowledge of the within-group differences among MA elderly caregivers, especially with respect to acculturation, may better inform interventions for this at-risk group.
Hahn
Elizabeth A
EA
University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA. ehahn@mail.usf.edu
Kim
Giyeon
G
Chiriboga
David A
DA
D000069:Acculturation; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States