How the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity with Gender Affects Stress and Burden on Caregivers Who Provide Care for the Elderly

This study examined how the intersection of race/ethnicity with gender impacted the stress/burden experienced by elder caregivers. An intersectional framework was used to analyze how the social locations of 768 caregivers affected overall stress/burden. The data examined were from the 2003 "Caregivers in the U.S." data set distributed by the Roper Center. Through regression analyses, the findings suggest white women in this sample were the most emotionally stressed in their caregiving duties, while minority (African American, Hispanic, and Asian) men and women were most financially stressed. Minority women also seem to be slightly more burdened than other caregivers in one test. Surprisingly, children in the caregivers' households alleviated stress/burden for elder caregivers, indicating that caregivers who have multiple care responsibilities may not be more stressed/burdened than caregivers who care only for elders. Policymakers should give attention to differences among caregivers who experience various aspects of stress/burden so their caregiving needs can be adequately met in the future.