Intentions to use long-term care: Exploring the Y generation

ABSTRACT

Objective: Little attention is paid to understand Generation Y’s views about institutional placement. This study investigated the Y generation’s intentions to use long-term institutional care services.

Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. The proportionate sampling method was applied. A questionnaire including a scale of attitudes toward long-term care (LTC) institutions, an item of perceived norms toward LTC institutions, and an item of intentions to use LTC institutions when aging was developed. A total of 609 university senior students returned the questionnaires (90% response rate). Descriptive statistics were applied to all variables. Predictor variables were analyzed by a multiple regression.

Results: The respondents had moderate levels of intention to use LTC institutions when they age. Based on the regression, attitudes toward LTC institutions (P < .001) and perceived norms toward LTC institutions (P < .001) were predictors of intention to use LTC institutions when they age. The variance in intentions to use LTC institutions when they age explained by attitudes toward LTC institutions and perceived norms toward LTC institutions was about 24%.

Conclusion: Study findings imply that it is vital to investigate attitudes and perceptions about institutional care services utilization among people of all ages as the society rapidly changes.

KEYWORDS:

• Generation Y’s intentions
• the theory of reasoned action
• aged care quality
• health service utilization
• quality of life

Acknowledgement

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all those who provided us the possibility to complete this research paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr. Yu-Ling Hsiao is an Assistant Professor in School of Nursing.

Miss Jing-Jung Lee has MS in Nursing.

Dr. Shu-Fen Kuo is an Assistant Professor in School of Nursing.

Dr. Yueh-Chen Yeh is an Assistant Professor in Department of Nursing.

Dr. I-Hui Chen is the corresponding author and an Assistant Professor in Master Program in Long-term Care.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan. [grant number 102-2815-C-038-005-H].