Parkinson's family needs and caregiver mental health: A cross-cultural comparison between Mexico and the United States.
Paul B Perrin, Richard S Henry, Emily K Donovan and 6 others
PMID 31868689WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers in Mexico and the United States had similar levels of anxiety and depression.
US caregivers reported more unmet emotional and community support needs. Mexican caregivers reported more unmet instrumental needs, such as help with daily tasks.
Key findings
01Caregivers at the two sites had comparable levels of depression and anxiety.
02Caregivers in the United States had higher unmet needs for emotional support and for a community support network than caregivers in Mexico.
03In the United States, unmet needs for emotional support and instrumental support were significant predictors of caregiver anxiety and depression.
04In Mexico, only the unmet need for instrumental support was a significant predictor of caregiver anxiety and depression.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that unmet needs cause mental health problems. Caregivers with poor mental health may also perceive more needs as unmet. Participants were recruited from academic medical centers, limiting generalizability to other settings. The US sample was predominantly White and higher in socioeconomic status compared to the general population. The study only included caregivers from one city in Mexico, limiting conclusions about other regions or countries. The questionnaire did not assess unmet financial needs, which may impact caregiver mental health.
Declared interests
The authors report no declarations of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that unmet needs cause caregiver mental health problems. The study is cross-sectional, so it is also possible that caregivers with poor mental health are more likely to report their needs as unmet.