Abstract
BACKGROUND: China has recently encountered severe challenges associated with population aging. Parents of first-generation only children face significant challenges regarding elderly care needs and the associated negative emotions. AIM: To analyze the elderly care needs of first-generation only child parents in China and identify factors that influence negative emotions. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional design. Convenience sampling was used to select 1580 elderly individuals who met the inclusion criteria in a Chinese city between June and September 2022. A questionnaire was administered to collect general information about participants. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the patient health questionnaire-9 and generalized anxiety disorder-7 scale, respectively. A logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relevant correlations. RESULTS: Among 1580 first-generation only child parents, 1120 (70.89%) preferred family based care, 324 (20.51%) opted for community care, and 136 (8.61%) chose institutional care, with 460 (29.11%) reporting negative emotions. Significant differences in the distribution of negative emotions among only child parents were observed based on age, marital status, living conditions, disability, type of chronic disease, frailty status, and family support (P < 0.05). The regression analysis indicated that disability, type of chronic disease, living environment, frailty status, and level of family support were independent risk factors for negative emotions among parents with only children (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Elderly care for parents of only children is primarily family-based. Independent risk factors for negative emotions in this group include disability, chronic disease type, and living environment.