A combination of discrimination, stress from parenting, and existing physical health issues are linked to depressive symptoms in minority grandmothers raising grandchildren

The authors of this article, Sumo et al., wanted to better understand the non-medical factors that constrain or enable good health in caregiving grandmothers of color. To do so, they conducted a secondary analysis of data collected in the first wave of the Chicago Community Adult Health Study, 2001-2003 (CCAHS) (ICPSR 31142), which was designed to understand the health of individuals and households based on their residential context. The CCAHS sample was drawn from 343 Chicago neighborhood clusters, and it surveyed a probability sample of 3,105 Chicago adults, collecting direct physical measurements of their blood pressure and heart rate and of height, weight, waist and hip circumference, and leg length. The study also included a biomedical supplement which collected blood and/or saliva samples on a subset of 661 survey respondents. There also was a community survey conducted in the CCHS, in which individuals described aspects of the neighborhood social environment. Finally, the study included an unobtrusive measure of neighborhood social capital/sense of responsibility to help others.

Sumo et al. accessed the CCAHS via ICPSR’s Resource Center for Minority Data, and they used data from the subset of participants who could be positively identified as co-residing grandmothers. Their final analytic sample consisted of 82 Black or Hispanic women who were at least aged 30, who cared for at least one minor grandchild who lived in their home. For these respondents, the authors looked at measures of financial, social, and parental stress, as well as social support, dietary intake, physical activity, and physical and mental health. Among their findings, the authors showed that discrimination, parenting stress, and existing health issues were all linked to more depressive symptoms among these grandmothers. The results highlight how sources of stress like financial problems, racism, neighborhood conditions, and family demands can negatively impact caregiving grandmothers’ wellbeing. The researchers call for more support services, interventions, and policies aimed at improving grandmothers’ health within their social contexts. They argue healthcare providers must address caregiving grandmothers’ needs related to high stress levels.