Ethnic groups

Little has been written on informal care of an older relative among minority ethnic groups in the UK. This paper examines the meanings of being an informal carer of an older family member for South Asian and African/Caribbean carers. The analysis presented here is based on qualitative interviews with 21 African/Caribbean and 15 South Asian carers. Drawing primarily on the notions of biographical continuity, biographical reinforcement and biographical disruption, the meanings of caring are examined.

3rd in a series of 5 articles on informal carers in the UK, focusing on carers who may be more isolated. 

This study utilizes a stress and coping framework which includes cognitive appraisal, personal and environmental resources, coping and stress to examine factors related to African-American caregivers’ breast cancer screenings, including mammograms, clinical examinations and self-examinations. Using data from the Black Rural and Urban Caregivers Mental Health and Functioning Study, we performed separate logistic regressions for each type of breast cancer screening.

There is a paucity of information regarding the extent and nature of caring provided by minority ethnic communities. The proportion of older people from these communities will dramatically increase in the next 20 years, which will be accompanied by increasing health and social care needs and an increased demand for carers. A qualitative, exploratory study was conducted to identify the health and social care needs of informal carers, who were caring for a dependent adult from a Bangladeshi community in South Wales, UK.