The Relationship of Social Support to African American Caregivers' Help-Seeking for Emotional Problems

Authors

Joseph Pickard
Megumi Inoue
Letha Chadiha
Sharon Johnson

Document Type

Article

Abstract

This study analyzes whether social support serves as a link to or substitute for formal services among African American female caregivers seeking help with emotional problems. It also analyzes other determinants of help-seeking. It relies on data from the Black Rural and Urban Caregivers Mental Health and Functioning Study and is guided by a modified version of the behavioral model of health services use. Using hierarchical binary logistic regression, analyses reveal that only age, stress, and support from fellow church members are statistically significantly associated with the likelihood of help-seeking. These results support the linking hypothesis, suggesting that the social support received by African American women caregivers in the context of their religious organizations helps to link them to services.

Publication Date

1-6-2011

Publication Title

Social Service Review

Volume

85

Issue

2

First Page

247

Last Page

266

DOI

10.1086/660068

Comments

© 2011 by Pickard

Recommended Citation

Joseph G. Pickard, Megumi Inoue, Letha A. Chadiha, and Sharon Johnson, "The Relationship of Social Support to African American Caregivers’ Help-Seeking for Emotional Problems," Social Service Review 85, no. 2 (June 2011): 247-266.