Chapter 6: Older Persons’ Carerelated Preferences: Cultural and Cross-Cultural Influences

This chapter discusses cultural differences in care preferences as the result of a complex interaction of many factors, including national policy and health systems, cultural and subcultural belief systems, individual and family traditions, socioeconomic status, and community knowledge of care options. We outline predisposing, enabling, need, and normative (belief) factors for older adults to develop and express care-related preferences. We then review empirical studies on the prevalent preferences associated with different cultural groups both within and between nations, with a focus on the United States and Canada, Europe, East Asia and South West Asia. Although some cultural groups, for example, African Americans and East Asians, are more likely to prefer informal services than some other cultural groups, the interest in and need for formal services is increasing with changing demographics and social structures. This heightens the need for cultural sensitive information delivery systems and decision making support for populations who are new consumers of available services.