Consumer-directed community care: race/ethnicity and individual differences in preferences for control

Even though consumer-directed care models are being advocated for use among elder populations, there are few data on the extent of elder interest in participating in the management of community long-term-care services, who they want involved in making these decisions, or their perceptions regarding the relative importance of different service choices. In addition, little is known about how elder preferences for consumer direction may vary by race/ethnicity.

With use of a cross-sectional research design, a sample of 731 elders including 200 African American, 200 Chinese, 131 Latino, and 200 White Western European American elders was investigated. New measures were created to assess level of control desired by elders in different areas of community long-term-care service delivery and preference for consumer direction.

Multivariate analyses found significant differences between and within race/ethnic groups for preferences for levels of consumer-directed care.

Study findings suggest that consumer direction occurs along a continuum, with elders desiring control over some service areas but not others, and the importance of recognizing heterogeneity within racial/ethnic groups regarding consumer-directed care.