Zhan Heying Jenny
Sociology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta 30303, USA.
Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2002;54(4):267-90. doi: 10.2190/GYRF-84VC-JKCK-W0MU.
This article uses the life course perspective to combine micro- and macro-levels of analysis of caregiving burdens experienced by Chinese baby-boom cohort and then explores their elder care prospects. Based on survey interviews during 1997 and 1998 with 110 caregivers providing care to dependent parents or parents-in-law, this study finds that lower family income, fewer family members to assist with parental care, and care-recipients' higher levels of disability are contributors to higher levels of caregiver financial burden. Caregivers' greater involvement in provision of personal care contributes to their higher levels of objective burden. Interestingly, as duration of providing care lengthened, a reduction is noted in caregivers' subjective burden. Caregivers' report of social pressure in provision of parental care was found to increase their subjective burden. One can conclude that larger family size has been an important factor in relieving caregiver financial burden in the current caregiving situation when financial stress presents a major challenge to families with dependent elders under recent economic reforms. However, the lack of siblings to assist parental care in the future is likely to produce unimaginable stress on caregivers, creating not only financial burden but also objective and subjective burdens. In conclusion, the author suggests that social policy and service facilities at the macro-level, along with family size and cohesion at the micro-level, will be important factors helping determine the future effectiveness of elder care provision for baby boomers in China.
本文运用生命历程视角，将微观和宏观层面的分析相结合，以探讨中国婴儿潮一代所经历的照料负担，并展望他们未来的老年照料前景。基于1997年至1998年期间对110名照料依赖父母或公婆的照料者进行的调查访谈，本研究发现，家庭收入较低、协助照料父母的家庭成员较少以及受照料者较高的残疾程度，是导致照料者经济负担加重的因素。照料者更多地参与提供个人照料，导致他们的客观负担加重。有趣的是，随着照料时间的延长，照料者的主观负担有所减轻。研究发现，照料者在提供父母照料时所感受到的社会压力会增加他们的主观负担。可以得出结论，在当前的照料情况下，当经济压力给有依赖老人的家庭带来重大挑战时，家庭规模较大一直是减轻照料者经济负担的一个重要因素。然而，未来缺乏兄弟姐妹协助照料父母，可能会给照料者带来难以想象的压力，不仅造成经济负担，还会带来客观和主观负担。总之，作者认为，宏观层面的社会政策和服务设施，以及微观层面的家庭规模和凝聚力，将是决定中国婴儿潮一代未来老年照料成效的重要因素。
