DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY CARERS FROM NON-ENGLISH-SPEAKING BACKGROUNDS IN USING HEALTH AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES

The proportion of the Australian population from non-English-speaking backgrounds is increasing (particularly among the elderly, who are mor e likely to be disabled), but their use of health services and institu tions is proportionately lower than that for other Australians, and ma ny care for a family member with a disability or illness at home. The study objective was to document the experiences of such carers in usin g health and other support services in order to understand the reasons for underutilisation. This study differs from most other carer studie s in concentrating on carers with little or no English, and by using a semistructured interview that enabled carers to describe their experi ences and attitudes more openly. Forty women carers were interviewed, with bilingual interviewers or interpreters being used where necessary . Interviews were tape-recorded and content-analysed. The services use d, sources of information and referral, and the reasons for not using a service were identified. Some of the difficulties experienced in usi ng services were common to many carers, irrespective of background, wh ereas others related specifically to English language deficits and cul tural differences. Carers were reluctant to institutionalise a family member, despite their own health problems, emphasising the need for gr eater support from existing and expanded services to enable the relati ve to be cared for at home.