Kao Hsueh-Fen Sabrina
School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
J Gerontol Nurs. 2003 Oct;29(10):12-21. doi: 10.3928/0098-9134-20031001-05.
The role of caregiver gender in the likelihood of institutionalization of Taiwanese older adults was explored in this study. A sample of 78 male and 69 female primary caregivers of elderly patients who had experienced a stroke at least 6 months prior to the study were interviewed. Logistic regression analyses were applied to examine direct and interaction effects of the elderly adult's functioning the caregiver's available resources, the degree of caregiver burden, perceived public opinion toward institutionalization, and precipitating events on the likelihood of institutionalization among Taiwanese male and female caregivers. Women were more likely to institutionalize the older adult for whom they cared. The proposed model correctly predicted the likelihood of institutionalization of an elderly adult based on male versus female caregivers at the 92% level. Perceived public opinion toward institutionalization was the most significant predictor of institutionalization for both genders. Perceived public opinion toward institutionalization has a strong influence on whether or not caregivers institutionalize an elderly relative. This is consistent with Chinese culture in which public opinion has a much stronger effect on individual behavior than in the United States. American concepts of "minding one's own business" do not exist in Taiwan. It is logical that the older adults' level of functioning would predict the likelihood of institutionalization regardless of caregiver gender. In terms of caregiver characteristics, working hours in male caregivers is more predictive, and the quality of the relationship with the older adult was more predictive of institutionalization for female caregivers.
本研究探讨了照顾者性别对台湾老年人机构化可能性的影响。对78名男性和69名女性主要照顾者进行了访谈，这些照顾者所照顾的老年患者在研究前至少6个月曾经历过中风。应用逻辑回归分析来检验老年人的功能、照顾者可利用的资源、照顾者负担程度、对机构化的公众看法以及促成事件对台湾男性和女性照顾者机构化可能性的直接和交互作用。女性更有可能将她们所照顾的老年人送去机构养老。所提出的模型在92%的水平上正确预测了基于男性与女性照顾者的老年人机构化可能性。对机构化的公众看法是两性机构化的最显著预测因素。对机构化的公众看法对照顾者是否将老年亲属送去机构养老有很大影响。这与中国文化一致，在中国文化中，公众舆论对个人行为的影响比在美国要强得多。台湾不存在美国那种“各人自扫门前雪”的观念。无论照顾者性别如何，老年人的功能水平能够预测机构化的可能性，这是合乎逻辑的。就照顾者特征而言，男性照顾者的工作时间对机构化的预测性更强，而女性照顾者与老年人关系的质量对机构化的预测性更强。
