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A comparison of physically aggressive behavior in two VA nursing homes
D Rudman1, L Alverno, D E Mattson
1Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53295.
Hospital & Community Psychiatry
|June 1, 1993
Summary
Nursing home A showed significantly higher rates of physically aggressive behavior among residents compared to nursing home B. This difference persisted across patient subgroups and over time, suggesting environmental or population factors may be involved.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Nursing Home Care
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Assessing and understanding resident aggression in nursing homes is crucial for patient safety and care quality.
- Previous observations suggested a disparity in physically aggressive behaviors between two Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing facilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the difference in the prevalence of physically aggressive behavior between two VA nursing homes.
- To compare resident assaultive behaviors at the beginning and end of six-month periods in 1987 and 1991.
Main Methods:
- Standardized biannual behavioral ratings were used to determine the prevalence of assaultive behavior in neurologic, psychiatric, and medical subgroups at two nursing homes (A and B).
- Chi square analysis compared prevalence rates and the proportion of initially nonaggressive patients who became aggressive.
- Patient diagnostic subgroups differed significantly between facilities A and B.
Main Results:
- Nursing home A had a higher percentage of neurologic and psychiatric patients, while facility B had more medical patients.
- The prevalence of assaultive behavior was consistently higher in all diagnostic subgroups at nursing home A compared to nursing home B in both 1987 and 1991.
- A significantly greater proportion of residents initially rated as nonaggressive at nursing home A were subsequently rated as aggressive.
Conclusions:
- Substantial differences in assaultive behavior were observed between the two nursing homes.
- Further research is required to determine if these differences stem from intrinsic population characteristics or environmental factors within the facilities.