父母需要子女的關心：探討台灣中老年人的代間關係與主觀經濟壓力之相關性研究

Parents Who Need Children's Care: Exploring the Association between Intergenerational Relations and subjective Economic Strain among Older Adults in Taiwan

林子鏞(Tzu-Yung Lin) ； 喬芷(Chi Chiao)

《台灣公共衛生雜誌》 32卷6期 (2013/12) Pp. 599-612

https://doi.org/10.6288/TJPH201332102051

摘要

Objectives: In the context of Confucian culture, the main unit of support for older parents in Taiwan is the family system. This points out the important connection between intergenerational relations and subjective economic strain. We utilized the intergenerational solidarity theory to explore whether ”intergenerational emotional bond” (affection solidarity) predicted a lower level of subjective economic strain than did ”received money from children” (functional solidarity). Methods: This study used data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging, a nationally representative sample of older adults aged 60 and above, collected between 1989 and 2003. Generalized linear modeling with GEE estimates was employed because of the repeated measures. Results: After SES and other covariates were controlled, females who felt that their children were reliable when they were sick were 0.36 points lower on the four point scale of economic strain (β=-0.36, p＜0.001) while those who received monetary support from sons were 0.09 points lower (β=-0.09, p＜0.001). Males who felt that their children were reliable when they were sick were also less likely to experience economic strain (β=-0.22, p＜0.001); however, the effect of monetary support from sons was insignificant. Conclusions: These findings suggest that ”children's care” produced a stronger and more positive effect on alleviating parents' subjective economic strain than did monetary support. Health and Welfare policy makers promoting economic well-being among older adults should take mutual emotional respect and an understanding of intergenerational relations into consideration.

關鍵字

代間關係 ； 主觀經濟壓力 ； 中老年父母 ； 廣義估計方程式

並列摘要

Objectives: In the context of Confucian culture, the main unit of support for older parents in Taiwan is the family system. This points out the important connection between intergenerational relations and subjective economic strain. We utilized the intergenerational solidarity theory to explore whether ”intergenerational emotional bond” (affection solidarity) predicted a lower level of subjective economic strain than did ”received money from children” (functional solidarity). Methods: This study used data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging, a nationally representative sample of older adults aged 60 and above, collected between 1989 and 2003. Generalized linear modeling with GEE estimates was employed because of the repeated measures. Results: After SES and other covariates were controlled, females who felt that their children were reliable when they were sick were 0.36 points lower on the four point scale of economic strain (β=-0.36, p＜0.001) while those who received monetary support from sons were 0.09 points lower (β=-0.09, p＜0.001). Males who felt that their children were reliable when they were sick were also less likely to experience economic strain (β=-0.22, p＜0.001); however, the effect of monetary support from sons was insignificant. Conclusions: These findings suggest that ”children's care” produced a stronger and more positive effect on alleviating parents' subjective economic strain than did monetary support. Health and Welfare policy makers promoting economic well-being among older adults should take mutual emotional respect and an understanding of intergenerational relations into consideration.

並列關鍵字

intergenerational relations ； subjective economic strain ； middle-aged and older parents ； Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE)

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