Abuse of people with cognitive impairment by family caregivers in Japan (a cross-sectional study)

Caregiving is often stressful in an aging society. Our research questions were two. First, In Japan, how often does abusive behavior by the caregivers of elders with clinically mild cognitive dysfunction (mild cognitive impairment and clinically mild dementia) occur? Second, what risk factors affect the abusive behavior? We studied 123 Japanese caregivers and care recipients who had been referred to the Memory Clinic at Okayama University Hospital. We used the Japanese version of the modified Conflict Tactics Scale (m-CTS) to measure abusive behaviors. We estimate the prevalence of abusive behavior meeting threshold (m-CTS score of 2 or higher) for abuse case on the modified m-CTS. The prevalence of abusive behavior was 15.4%. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the sex of caregivers and scores on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Zarit Caregiver Burden scale, and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination had significant effects on the m-CTS scores. We demonstrated that in Japan, caregivers of the elderly with even clinically mild cognitive dysfunction exhibit abusive behavior toward them. The severity of the disease might reflect the prevalence of and factors that affect the abusive conflict score. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.