Variations in perceived social support among family caregivers from diverse cultural backgrounds

Background: With increasing health needs, public-care systems rely highly on family members to provide caregiving. Despite a rapid increase in multicultural populations, there is limited cross-cultural research on family caregivers, particularly their perceptions of social support. The current paper explores similarities and differences in the correlates of perceived social support between Australian family caregivers of culturally diverse backgrounds (CALD) and those primarily of Anglo-Celtic ancestry (non-CALD). Methods: Cross-sectional anonymous survey of family caregivers aged ≥18 years, who self-identified as CALD (n = 349) and non-CALD (n = 302). Perceived social support was assessed using the Expressed Social Support (ESS) scale. Demographic, caregiving, and health-related correlates of perceived social support amongst both groups were assessed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Results: Although the total ESS scores were similar in both group of caregivers (mean 15.4 ± 5.0 vs. 16.0 ± 4.9), there was some variation across the eight ESS items between the two groups. In multivariable regression, after adjusting for demographic, carer and health covariates, mental health score was the most significant covariate of perceived social support in both groups. Other significant covariates included older age (≥60 years) and education in CALD caregivers and being a primary carer in non-CALD caregivers. Conclusion: Our study highlights similarities and differences amongst correlates of perceived social support across two culturally distinct groups of Australian family caregivers, which include demographic, care-related and health-related factors, including mental health. Future research using longitudinal mixed methods approaches would be valuable in better understanding trajectories of care associated with personal, cultural, and structural factors and how its influences perceptions of social support across the diversity of family caregivers.