Violent patient behavior is associated with bodily pain and a high burden on informal caregivers.
BACKGROUND
There have been no studies of the relationship between violent behavior by older patients and the physical and mental health of caregivers.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of violent behavior in vulnerable elderly patients on bodily pain and caregiver burden in their informal caregivers.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
One hundred thirty-seven patients aged > or =40 years old with limited activity and mobility in ten facilities providing home-care services in Japan.


METHODS
Degree of caregiver-perceived violent patient behavior and caregivers' bodily pain derived from a self-administered questionnaire, and caregiver burden assessed using scores from both the Burden Index of Caregivers and the Zarit Burden Interview.


RESULTS
The mean age of the 137 patients enrolled in this study was 80.9 years. Of these patients, 31.4% were men, and 34.3% had violent behavior. The mean caregiver age was 65.0 years, and 29.2% were men. Caregivers who looked after violent patients experienced significantly higher odds of having bodily pain [AOR = 3.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.81 to 6.85]. Caregivers of violent patients also reported significant caregiver burden as assessed by the Burden Index of Caregivers (beta-coefficient = 4.92; 95% CI: 1.95 to 7.88) and the Zarit Burden Interview (beta-coefficient = 5.81; 95% CI: 2.92 to 8.70).


CONCLUSIONS
Violent behavior among older patients is associated with significant increases in both physical and psychological burden in their informal caregivers.
Yamamoto
Yosuke
Y
Department of Epidemiology and Healthcare Research, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan. yamamotoy2@gmail.com
Hayashino
Yasuaki
Y
Yamazaki
Shin
S
Takegami
Misa
M
Fukuhara
Shunichi
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*