Effects of Caregiver Status, Coping Styles, and Social Support on the Physical Health of Korean American Caregivers

Autor/inn/en	Kim, Jung-Hyun; Knight, Bob G.
Titel	Effects of Caregiver Status, Coping Styles, and Social Support on the Physical Health of Korean American Caregivers
Quelle	In: Gerontologist, 48 (2008) 3, S.287-299 (13 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0016-9013
Schlagwörter	Caregivers; Physical Health; Coping; Korean Americans; Matched Groups; Social Support Groups; Aging (Individuals); Family Relationship; Gerontology; Older Adults + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Caregiver; Carer; Betreuungsperson; Pfleger; Gesundheitszustand; Bewältigung; Social support; Soziale Unterstützung; Aging; Altern; Gerontologie; Älterer Erwachsener
Abstract	Purpose: This study investigated direct and indirect effects of caregiver status on the physical health of Korean American caregivers in terms of caregiver coping styles and the quantity and the quality of informal social support. Design and Methods: Using a sample of 87 caregivers and 87 matched noncaregivers, we analyzed a path model, employing both subjective (self-reported general health) and objective (blood pressure and cortisol levels) health indicators. For the intervening variables the path model employed coping styles and two aspects of social support (the quantity of informal social support and the quality of informal social support). Results: Our findings supported the association of caregiver status with poor health outcomes among Korean American caregivers. Of interest, the adverse effects of caregiver status on the physical health of caregivers were reported only with objective health markers (blood pressure and cortisol levels), not with subjective health indicators. The proposed indirect effects of caregiver status were supported only for cortisol levels, through the quality of informal social support. Implications: The demonstration of the physical health effects of caregiving in one of the nation's fastest growing ethnic groups, and the finding that these physiological effects occur without self-reported poor health, call attention to a potentially serious health problem in an understudied group providing family care to frail older family members. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Gerontological Society of America. 1030 15th Street NW Suite 250, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-842-1275; Fax: 202-842-1150; e-mail: geron@geron.org; Web site: http://www.geron.org/journals/gsapub.htm
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10