Health Consequences to Immigrant Family Caregivers in Canada

Authors

  • Juhee Vajracharya Suwal Cancer Surveillance, Surveillance and Health Status Assessment, Population and Public Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton Alberta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25336/P6T90J

Abstract

This study revisited the “double jeopardy” hypothesis in terms of the health of immigrant family caregivers. It also investigated the effect of “reciprocity” (feeling of giving back something) on the health of family caregivers. The General Social Survey 2002 Cycle 16 data were analyzed using χ2-test and Logistic regressions. About 16% of immigrants and 13.6% of non-immigrants said that their health was negatively affected as a result of caregiving. Immigrant family caregivers were three times more likely than non-immigrants to report a health consequence. Reciprocity played a big role in this outcome. Given the fact that an increasing number of culturally diverse immigrants enter Canada every year and that the immigrant population is aging, more caregivers will be in demand. Policy makers need to find ways to keep immigrant caregivers healthy so that quality care can be given to immigrant older adults and also for maintaining an overall healthy Canada.

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Published

2010-12-31