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Journal of Applied Gerontology
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Cultural Influences in the Patterns of Long-Term Care Use Among Mexican American Family Caregivers

Angelica P. Herrera

Loma Linda University, apherrer{at}mdanderson.org

Jerry Lee

Loma Linda University

Guadalupe Palos

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Isabel Torres-Vigil

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

This study sought to explore cultural attitudes toward caregiving and long-term care and their influence on patterns of long-term care use among Mexican American family caregivers of relatives aged 50 and older. Using a cross-sectional design, the researchers used mixed methods and conducted interviews with 66 Mexican American family caregivers in San Diego, California. They applied the Andersen behavioral model of health service utilization to examine familism, gender roles, acculturation, religiosity, and knowledge and perceptions of long-term care as factors in usage. Caregivers with greater long-term care use displayed lower levels of familism, were knowledgeable about services, had a care recipient with health insurance, shared caregiving responsibilities, and were less acculturated. Medicaid coverage for low-income care recipients was associated with higher long-term care use. Although familism may deter service use, caregivers empowered with resources and knowledge or Medicaid coverage are inclined to use long-term care services.

Key Words: family caregivers • Mexican Americans • long-term care • cultural determinants

Journal of Applied Gerontology, Vol. 27, No. 2, 141-165 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0733464807310682
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?