Authors: Mary M Mitchell Amy Knowlton
Publish Date: 2011/01/23
Volume: 16, Issue: 2, Pages: 278-287
Abstract
While informal caregivers play an important role in improving the health of disadvantaged persons living with HIV/AIDS PLHAs in the United States caregiver role overload has the potential for distress We used latent profile analysis LPA to classify caregivers based on their perceived level of support and structural equation modeling SEM to examine the relationships among role overload perceived support caregiver demographic characteristics and social network members’ characteristics in a sample of 215 predominantly lowincome AfricanAmerican informal caregivers The LPA resulted in two classes of caregivers with higher and lower perceived support The SEM results indicated that caregiver role overload was associated with being in the less supported class younger age and limited physical functioning while social support class was associated with being female and being HIV seropositive in addition to support network characteristics Interventions should address the support needs of HIV caregivers to reduce their potential for distress
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