title: The Impact of Caring for Grandchildren on Grandparents' Physical Health Outcomes: The Role of Intergenerational Support.
abstract: Little longitudinal data exist on grandparent caregivers and few studies have examined their physical health outcomes. This study examined the effect of caring for grandchildren on grandparents' physical health and the role of intergenerational support from adult children. Longitudinal data derived from a survey on the well-being of older adults in China were used to conduct path analysis of previous grandparent caregivers (vs. noncaregivers) and repeated grandparent caregivers (vs. noncaregivers). The final sample was 799 grandparents aged 60 or older living in rural China. Three aspects of intergenerational support were measured: financial, emotional, and instrumental support. Repeated grandparent caregivers had better self-rated health (SRH) and fewer limitations than noncaregivers. Previous grandparent caregivers had better SRH compared to noncaregivers. Emotional support mediated the relationship between caregiving and SRH among repeated caregivers. Findings suggest that any caregiving experience (previous or repeated) provides health benefits to grandparents.
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.|2 Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce, Shanghai, China.|3 USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, Los Angeles, California, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: 3 USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, Los Angeles, California, CA, USA.|4 School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Weiyu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: 3 USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, Los Angeles, California, CA, USA.|4 School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Yura
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 3 USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, Los Angeles, California, CA, USA.|4 School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D000066502:Grandparents / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: grandparents; longitudinal; physical health; rural China; support