Understanding the caregiving experiences of Asian Indian, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese American family care partners of persons living with dementia

Ji Won Choi, Van Ta Park, Edward Nguyen, Andrew Jung, Janice Tsoh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objectives: Disparities impacting dementia health care exist in racial/ethnic minority groups, including Asian Americans, an understudied population in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The qualitative study explored caregiving experiences and potential cultural influences among Asian Indian, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese family care partners of persons living with dementia. Methods: We conducted focus groups and individual interviews with 32 care partners from these four Asian subgroups using Zoom, WeChat, or telephone. Results: Four themes emerged from the data: (1) Family obligations influencing caregiving decisions; (2) Evolving challenges related to dementia caregiving; (3) Caregiving burdens/negative impacts from caregiving (relationship burdens and emotional distress); and (4) Coping with their situation in their own ways (cognitive, behavioral, and social strategies).Conclusion: Cultural values (e.g. familism or filial piety) played a significant role in caregiving decisions and experiences. There was a need to raise public awareness of dementia and create culturally and linguistically appropriate training programs for this population.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)473-481
Number of pages9
JournalAging and Mental Health
Volume28
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Asian
  • dementia
  • family caregiving

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Phychiatric Mental Health
  • Gerontology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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