密歇根大学研究：同时照顾年迈父母与未成年子女者财务困难比例约为仅照顾父母者的两倍
密歇根大学精神病学系一个研究团队发表的新研究显示，在为 65 岁以上父母提供照护的成年人中，近四分之一同时还要照顾至少一名未成年子女，这一人群被称为「三明治一代」照护者。研究团队称，这类照护者在美国至少有 250 万人。
研究比较了三明治一代照护者与只照顾父母、不照顾未成年子女的照护者。结果显示，三明治一代照护者报告财务困难的比例为 36%，明显高于另一组的 17%；报告严重情绪困扰的比例为 44%，另一组为 32%；其「过载感」量表平均得分也更高。两个群体在照护带来的积极感受方面得分则相近。
研究还显示，三明治一代照护者有工作的比例更高，为 69%，另一组为 54%；但他们本人参加医疗补助计划（Medicaid）的比例也更高，为 21%，另一组为 11%，其父母参加 Medicaid 的比例为 30%，另一组为 21%。研究团队表示，这一群体同时承担工作、育儿与照护父母三重角色、经济状况又有其特点，是卫生政策制定者需要特别关注的人群。
University of Michigan Study: Caregivers Sandwiched Between Aging Parents and Young Children Report Financial Difficulty at About Twice the Rate
A new study by a research team based in the University of Michigan's Department of Psychiatry found that nearly one quarter of adults who provide care for at least one parent over the age of 65 also take care of at least one child under 18, a group known as sandwich-generation caregivers. The team estimates there are at least 2.5 million such caregivers in the United States.
The study compared sandwich-generation caregivers with caregivers who care for an older parent but have no minor children. It found that 36 percent of sandwich-generation caregivers reported financial difficulty, compared with 17 percent of the other group; 44 percent reported substantial emotional difficulty, compared with 32 percent; and their average score on a measure of overload was higher. The two groups scored about the same on the positive impacts of caregiving.
The study also found that sandwich-generation caregivers were more likely to work for pay, at 69 percent versus 54 percent, yet both they and their parents were more likely to have Medicaid coverage: 21 percent of sandwich caregivers were covered by Medicaid, versus 11 percent of the other group, and 30 percent of their parents were covered, versus 21 percent. The researchers said this group, which combines paid work, child-rearing, and care for aging parents while having distinct economic characteristics, deserves particular attention from health policymakers.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：图：密歇根大学 Ann Arbor 校区建筑。本研究由该校精神病学系团队发表。照片：w_lemay，CC BY-SA 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / A building on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. The study was published by a team in the university's Department of Psychiatry. Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
