Spirituality and the Emotional and Physical Health of Black and White Southern Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias.

Abstract

The primary purpose of this comparative study was to compare Black and White Southern caregivers on spirituality, stress, life satisfaction, social support satisfaction, depression, and physical health. In addition predictors o f depression and physical health were analyzed and an overall conceptual model was tested. Major findings based on a convenience sample o f 130 Black (n = 66) and White (n = 64) Southern caregivers are as follows. White caregivers had higher education p<0.005). After controlling for age, education, and religious background, Black caregivers (M=56.7) compared to White caregivers (M=50.7) reported significantly higher spirituality (p <0.001), whereas, White caregivers (M=24.9) reported significantly more stress (p <0.001) than Black caregivers (M=20.9). Black caregivers (M=47.26) reported significantly greater life satisfaction (F=l 5.989; p <0.001) compared to White caregivers (M=42.13). Black caregivers (M=44.48) reported significantly greater satisfaction with their social support (p <0.001) and significantly less depression (M=27.8) (p <0.001) than the White caregivers (M=39.23;M=34.9). Additionally, Black caregivers (M=1.95) reported significantly better physical health (p<0.009) compared to White caregivers (M=2.34)( 1 =excellent). Lower perceived caregiver stress was predicted by spirituality (p <0.001). Greater life satisfaction was predicted by higher education (p <0.01), lower cognitive impairment of the ill person (p <0.05), higher spirituality (p <0.001) and lower stress (p <0.001). Social support satisfaction was predicted by lower cognitive impairment o f the ill person (p <0.01), lower stress (p <0.001), and higher life satisfaction (p <0.001). Caregiver depression was predicted by race (p < 0.01), higher spirituality (p < 0.05), higher stress (p < 0.001), and lower social support satisfaction (p < 0.01). Health was predicted by race (p < 0.05), lower education (p< 0.05), lower present financial situation (p <0.05), higher spirituality (p <0.05) and depression (p < 0.001). A preliminary conceptual model o f Caregiver Spirituality, Stress, Appraisal and Health was supported. Spirituality had an inverse direct causal relationship (b - .475, p < 0.01) to depression, and a positive causal relationship through the mediator of stress (b .282, p <0.001) to health. Additionally, spirituality had a direct causal relationship to life satisfaction (b .384, p<0.001) and social support satisfaction (b .463, p <0.001). Education (b -.227, p<0.01) and race (b - . 197, p < 0.05) had a direct relationship to health, and race (b -.253, p < 0.05) had a direct relationship to depression. Education (b .136, p <0.05) had a direct relationship to life satisfaction. The path between depression and health was not significant.