Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Dementia caregivers experience significant challenges, often overlooked.
• Sexual and gender minority (SGM) caregivers are underrepresented in dementia research and practice.
• SGM caregivers face unique stressors due to intersecting identities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of racially and ethnically diverse SGM dementia caregivers.
• To identify socioenvironmental, risk, and protective factors influencing their health and well-being.
• To inform targeted interventions and future research for this population.

Main Methods:

• Conducted in-depth interviews with 15 racially and ethnically diverse SGM dementia caregivers.
• Utilized content analysis to identify overarching themes.
• Focused on socioenvironmental, risk, and protective factors impacting caregiver well-being.

Main Results:

• Identified four key themes: socioenvironmental factors, risk factors, protective factors, and health and well-being.
• Racially and ethnically diverse SGM caregivers experience discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, and race.
• Underrepresented SGM caregivers reported added stress from care recipients' non-acceptance and healthcare provider discrimination.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary findings highlight factors for developing targeted interventions for diverse SGM dementia caregivers.
• Emphasizes the need for further research into the unique caregiving experiences and health outcomes of diverse SGM individuals.
• Addresses the invisibility of SGM dementia caregivers in current research and practice.