Effects of family structure on risk of institutionalisation of disabled older people in Japan.

Aim: To examine the relationship between family structure and the risk of institutionalisation of disabled older people.
Methods: The participants were 286 disabled older people aged 65 or older who were eligible to receive formal care services under the long-term care insurance system in a town in western Japan. Family structure was categorised as living alone, living only with a spouse, living with a son, living with a daughter and living other relatives. The risks of institutionalisation were estimated by logistic regression analyses.
Results: Participants living with a daughter had a significantly low odds ratio (OR) for institutionalisation (OR: 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.13-0.93) and those living alone had a significantly high OR (OR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.02-5.20), when compared to participants living with a son (regarded as the reference). The ORs of participants living only with a spouse and living with other relatives were 1.50 (95% CI: 0.59-3.79) and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.15-2.82), respectively.
Conclusion: Living with a daughter could reduce the risk of institutionalisation for disabled older people.
(© 2013 ACOTA.)