Ethnicity and the ethic of caring in african american families

Abstract

Several important demographic and economic factors have led to the shift in medical caregiving work from health care professionals to family members, primarily women. The growth in family caregiving has spawned numerous studies on how caring for the sick affects unpaid family caregivers. While caregiving work can be gratifying, most studies have focused on the negative effects, such as its adverse impact on the health and employment of caregivers. Only recently have we begun to expand this literature by examining the impact of ethnicity, specifically culture, on family caregiving. This study argues that African American families have retained specific cultural values and developed family systems which may lessen the negative impact of caregiving on families.