Racial Differences in Social Support and Coping Among Family Caregivers of Patients with Prostate Cancer

Abstract

More than 60 million Americans are informal caregivers to adults, which can negatively affect their health. Data from 126 White and 62 African American female caregivers in North Carolina were analyzed to describe social support and coping among family caregivers of patients with prostate cancer and to assess for racial differences. Social support amount and some coping methods differed by race. There was no racial difference in social support satisfaction. Borderline significant difference in social support by health status was found and this differed by race. These racial differences should be explored further to better understand the availability of caregiving resources and their health effects.

KEYWORDS:

• family caregivers
• prostate cancer
• racial differences
• psychosocial factors
• social support
• coping behavior

Acknowledgments

Dr. Vines’ work on this project was supported by the National Cancer Institute Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities through its Community Networks Program (U01-CA114629) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BIRCWH Program, K12-HD001441. Z. Demissie's work was supported by the National Cancer Institute Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities, U01-CA114629 (Administrative supplement to Dr. Vines). Data for this research was funded by a grant to Dr. Merle Mishel from the National Institute for Nursing Research (R01-NR03782). The authors report no known financial conflict of interest. The authors would like to acknowledge the principal investigators of the Managing Uncertainty in Stage B Prostate Cancer Study, Drs. Merle Mishel and Barbara Germino, for the use of their data. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Mishel and Dr. Kathy Knafl for providing comments on the manuscript.