The specific aims of the proposed descriptive study are to: 1) discover the underlying social-psychological processes and structures of MA female caregivers and the meaning of these when caring for a family member with cancer; 2) develop a culturally relevant informative theory of MA female family caregiving for persons with cancer; 3) examine associations among acculturation, perceptions of health status, mood state, and burden in MA female family caregivers; 4) compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative findings for congruency. The sample will consist of a minimum of 30 MA female caregivers of cancer patients. A total sample of 50 caregivers may be necessary to reach theoretical saturation in order to develop the caregiving theory through qualitative data collection. Following informed consent, participants will complete two interviews for the study. The first interview will focus on participant completion of a portion of a demographic data form and an acculturation scale. During a later second interview, caregivers will respond to several open ended questions to elicit qualitative data on the caregiver experience before completing three quantitative instruments and the remainder of the demographic data form. Quantitative measures will include the SF-12, Profile of Mood States (POMS), and the Burden Interview (BI), instruments used to assess caregiver perceived health status, mood state, and caregiver burden. Grounded theory methodology will be used to analyze caregiver data from the open-ended questions; analysis will be informed by an expert in this method and bicultural and bilingual members of the research team who will verify the cultural relevancy of formulated meanings, concepts, categories, and themes (social-psychological process of MA caregiving) throughout the data analysis process. These experts will assist the PI and Co-investigators in developing a theory of MA female caregiving with family members with cancer. Quantitative data will not be used to inform the theory but will describe caregiver perceptions of health, mood, and caregiver burden, variables potentially used in a future intervention study. Descriptive and correlation coefficient statistics will be applied to analyze the quantitative data. This research is significant because of the growing number of MAs in the United States, an aging MA population which will experience increased risk of cancer, and an increasing number of these patients who will receive health care in the home. There is a paucity of research exploring the MA female caregiving experience with cancer patients. Nurses need information regarding the influence of the MA culture on the caregiving experience if they are to provide culturally and socially relevant interventions to improve the lives of both cancer caregivers and those dependent on their care.
| Wells, Jo Nell; Cagle, Carolyn Spence; Marshall, David et al. (2009) Perceived mood, health, and burden in female Mexican American family cancer caregivers. Health Care Women Int 30:629-54 |
| Cagle, Carolyn Spence; Wolff, Elizabeth (2009) Blending voices of Mexican American cancer caregivers and healthcare providers to improve care. Oncol Nurs Forum 36:555-62 |
| Wells, Jo Nell; Cagle, Carolyn Spence (2009) Preparation and participation of undergraduate students to inform culturally sensitive research. Nurse Educ Today 29:505-9 |
| Wells, Jo Nell; Cagle, Carolyn Spence; Bradley, Patricia et al. (2008) Voices of Mexican American caregivers for family members with cancer: on becoming stronger. J Transcult Nurs 19:223-33 |
| Wells, Jo Nell; Cagle, Carolyn Spence; Bradley, Patricia J (2006) Building on Mexican-American cultural values. Nursing 36:20-1 |
