Analysis of the Association between Ageism, Stress and Emotion Work of Nurses and Care Workers at Geriatric Health Services Facilities

Abstract

  The survey aimed to elucidate the relationship among workers’ ageism, stress, and emotion work to determine stress management measures to prevent elderly abuse. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted for nurses and nursing care workers in geriatric health services facilities. The Japanese version of the Abridged Fraboni Scale of Ageism, Negative Feeling toward Patient Frequency Scale, and the Emotion Work Inventory for Nurses were used to evaluate participants using a 5-point Likert scale, and a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed. The results revealed a strong link between the negative emotional expression of emotional labor and the stress of “negative emotions toward the selfishness and excessive complaints” of the elderly (β＝.515, p＜.01). Furthermore, a connection with ageism was not found. However, ageism avoidance had the strongest link to stress (β＝.373, p＜.01). The results suggest that it is important to improve the ability to regulate negative emotions such as irritation in order to reduce the negative emotional expression in the form of anger toward the elderly. Further, reducing avoidance could lead to the prevention of stress.