Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare program evaluation responses between African American and Caucasian caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias who completed a lifestyle physical activity randomized controlled trial. The aim was to determine if African Americans evaluated the study differently than Caucasians. Family caregivers (N = 211) were randomly assigned to a 12-month physical activity intervention or a control condition. Upon intervention completion (n = 114), caregivers responded to an 11-item questionnaire using Likert-type scale responses and three open-ended questions about the overall intervention quality. Findings indicated that African American caregivers evaluated both conditions more favorably than Caucasian caregivers (p = .02). Content analysis of the narrative responses revealed five major qualitative themes: support, resources, responsibility, adjusting, and time These findings suggest the value of both access to resources, and support for African American caregivers who participate in intervention research.