Factors related to potentially harmful behaviors towards disabled older people by family caregivers in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to examine factors related to potentially harmful behaviors (PHB) by family caregivers towards their older family members.


METHODS
Four hundred and twelve pairs of disabled older adults and their family caregivers participated in the study. All of these disabled older adults were users of visiting nursing services under the public Long-Term Care insurance system, who resided in one of the eight catchment areas of visiting nursing services in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The caregivers were asked to complete questionnaires in relation to their PHB towards their older family members, caregiver burden, patient-caregiver kinship, behavioral disturbances of their older adult, age and sex. Visiting nurses obtained the following information regarding the older adults: the severity of dementia; the severity of physical impairment; age and sex.


RESULTS
More than 30% of the caregivers admitted PHB towards their older family members. The most frequently reported PHB included verbal aggression (16.8%) and ignoring (13.6%). A logistic regression analysis revealed that adult children (OR = 2.69, 95%CI = 1.23-5.89, p = 0.013) and caregivers of disabled older people with behavioral disturbances (OR = 3.61, 95%CI = 1.65-7.90, p < 0.01) were more likely to show PHB.


CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, PHB towards the older people by family caregivers was associated with patients' behavioral disturbances and patient-caregiver kinship, i.e. an adult child as a caregiver. These findings should be taken into account when planning strategies to prevent PHB by family members.
Sasaki
Megumi
M
Department of Gerontological Policy, National Institute for Longevity Sciences (NILS), National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG), Obu-shi, Aichi, Japan.
Arai
Yumiko
Y
Kumamoto
Keigo
K
Abe
Koji
K
Arai
Asuna
A
Mizuno
Yoko
Y
D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000374:Aggression; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D000091402:Prohibitins; D012306:Risk; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological