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Carol Levine, MA, Gail Gibson Hunt, BA, Deborah Halper, MPH, MSUP, Andrea Y. Hart, BA, Jessica Lautz, MPP and David A. Gould, PhD

Carol Levine is with the Families and Health Care Project at the United Hospital Fund, New York, NY. Gail Gibson Hunt is with the National Alliance for Caregiving, Bethesda, Md. Deborah Halper is with the Education and Program Initiatives Division at the United Hospital Fund, New York. Andrea Y. Hart is with the Division of Education and Program Initiatives at the United Hospital Fund, New York. At the time of the study, Jessica Lautz was with the National Alliance for Caregiving, Bethesda, Md. David A. Gould is with the United Hospital Fund, New York.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Carol Levine, Families and Health Care Project, United Hospital Fund, 350 Fifth Ave, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10118 (e-mail: clevine{at}uhfnyc.org).

Objectives. We examined the prevalence, characteristics, and responsibilities of young adults aged 18 to 25 years who are caregivers for ill, elderly, or disabled family members or friends.

Methods. We analyzed 2 previously published national studies (from 1998 and 2004) of adult caregivers.

Results. Young adult caregivers make up between 12% and 18% of the total number of adult caregivers. Over half are male, and the average age is 21. Most young adults are caring for a female relative, most often a grandmother. Young adult caregivers identified a variety of unmet needs, including obtaining medical help, information, and help making end-of-life decisions.

Conclusions. Analysis of these 2 surveys broadens our understanding of the spectrum of family caregivers by focusing on caregivers between the ages of 18 and 25 years. The high proportion of young men raises questions about the appropriateness of current support services, which are typically used by older women. Concerted efforts are essential to ensure that young adults who become caregivers are not deterred from pursuing educational and career goals.

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