# LONG-TERM CARE USE IN JAPANESE AMERICAN ELDERLY

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 1992 · $195,978

## Abstract

The investigators' current involvement with a prospective cross-cultural
study involving nearly 2000 elderly Japanese Americans affords a unique
opportunity to study patterns of long-term care utilization and
determinants of nursing home placement in this minority group.  The
subjects vary considerably in cognitive and physical capacity as well as
family and economic support; many subjects are at high risk of nursing
home placement.

Aim 1) The frequency of nursing home use (the main outcome of interest)
will be ascertained by following subjects longitudinally.  Incidence of
nursing home placement, length of stay, and whether subjects are placed
in an ethnically-oriented  Japanese nursing home or other nursing homes
will be recorded, as will the magnitude of formal (paid) home care
service use.   Aim

Aim 2) Using structured interviews, determinants of long-term care use
will be obtained at enrollment and updated periodically on all study
subjects.  These include: cognition, physical function, family support
structure, and the preferences and attitudes of subjects regarding use of
nursing homes.

Hypothesis 1) Although functional and cognitive impairment are expected
to be powerful predictors of nursing home placement, other factors, such
as elaborate family structure and liberal involvement of family members
in care, as well as culturally based preferences and attitudes regarding
nursing homes, may also be significant predictors of placement in this
population.  A higher proportion of subjects is expected to enter a
Japanese nursing home than other nursing homes.

Aim 3) When subjects are cognitively or functionally impaired, they will
be designated as care receivers.  Their caregivers' demography, health,
ways of coping, burden, affect, and preferences and attitudes regarding
use of nursing homes, as well as subject behaviors (as assessed by
caregivers), will be obtained at that time.  The Fishbein-Ajzen model of
attitude- behavior relationships will be used in analyzing data from the
subset of the cohort so designated.

Hypothesis 2) Subjective norms (caregivers' perceptions of what other
people think they should do) will be more important than the
caregivers'own personal attitudes in determining their intention to place
care receivers in nursing homes.  This is based upon the Japanese
cultural emphasis on conforming to a community norm; family is of primary
importance.  Low perceived psychosocial support, small available social
network, and failing health of caregivers are expected to increase intent
to place minority elderly in nursing homes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3123128
- **Project number:** 1R01AG011143-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HD1WMN6945W6
- **Principal Investigator:** WAYNE C MCCORMICK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $195,978
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1992-09-30 → 1996-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3123128

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3123128, LONG-TERM CARE USE IN JAPANESE AMERICAN ELDERLY (1R01AG011143-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3123128. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*