title: The influence of ethnicity and gender on caregiver health in older New Zealanders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the interrelationships between ethnicity, gender, and caregiving on the health of older New Zealanders. We hypothesized that those providing higher levels of care and more care across time would have poorer health outcomes and that these relationships would be moderated by ethnicity and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative sample of participants (N = 2,155) aged 54-70 years from the first 2 waves of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study completed postal surveys in 2006 and 2008. Caregiving questions were adapted from the Australian Women's Health study, and health measures were derived from the SF36 Health Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women and Māori (indigenous New Zealanders) were more likely to provide care than men and non-Māori. Respondents providing higher levels of care reported poorer mental health and this was particularly true of Māori and female caregivers. Male Māori caregivers providing the highest level of care reported the poorest mental health. Level of care was unrelated to physical health. There was minimal evidence for changes in health over time based on caregiver status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The poorer health of caregivers supports previous findings on the detrimental health effects of caregiving. Caregiving may have more detrimental effects on Māori health outcomes due to existing inequalities in health, barriers to formal support services, and the multiple roles of elder Māori.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand 4410. f.m.alpass@massey.ac.nz
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alpass
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pond
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Brendan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keeling
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Towers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Caregiving; Cultural factors; Gender; Health outcomes.