Practical research on human rights of elderly people with dementia

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591714
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: TERADA Seishi 岡山大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 准教授 (20332794)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 高齢者 / 人権

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We studied on abusive behaviors for patients with dementia and decision-making capacity of dementia patients. First, we used the Japanese version of the modified Conflict Tactics Scale (m-CTS) to measure abusive behaviors and studied 123 Japanese caregivers and care recipients with mild dementia. The prevalence of abusive behavior was 15.4%. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that male caregivers, severe neuropsychiatric behaviors, high caregiver burden, and low cognitive function of care recipients had significant effects on the m-CTS scores.
Secondly, we demonstrated that patients with mild cognitive impairment were already impaired in the capacity of medical decision-making on understanding domain, and that we could not determine the decision-making capacity of the patients, using a brief cognitive test such as Mini Mental State Examination. Furthermore, we showed that clinicians were insensible to decision-making incapacity of their patients.

Free Research Field

老年精神医学、認知症