Resident‐to‐resident aggression in long‐term care facilities: Prevalence and risk factors

Abstract

<p>Resident-to-resident aggression (RRA) refers to the “negative and aggressive physical, sexual, or verbal interactions between long-term care residents” with “high potential to cause physical or psychological distress in the recipient”.^{<a href="https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.18175#jgs18175-bib-0001">1</a>} It is estimated that one in five residents in Residential Care Facilities (RCF) had experienced RRA at least once in a given month.^{<a href="https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.18175#jgs18175-bib-0002">2</a>} Despite a growing body of knowledge on RRA in Western countries, much less is known about the situation in Chinese societies.</p><p>An RCF constitutes an ecological system where older residents live, rest, and receive care on a daily basis. Residents' interactions with the staff, other residents, and the environment are inseparable characteristics of RCFs. To understand the multifaceted nature of RRA, a four-level ecological model may be useful: (i) individual factors of the residents; (ii) relationship factors between residents; (iii) environmental factors in the RCF (e.g., availability of trained caregivers and other resources); and (iv) cultural and societal factors.</p>