Table 3.

Main categories, generic categories, and sub-categories of the abuse of hospitalized elders

Main category	Generic category	Sub-category
Micro-level issues	Physical abuse	Physical aggression/ Rough care and treatment/ Intentional-unintentional bodily harm
	Emotional and psychological abuse	Verbal abuse/ Violation of the patient’s dignity/ Discrimination in the provision of health care services/ Psychological violence/ Deprivation and unnecessary restrictions
Meso-level issues	Insufficient professional competence	Clinical incompetence/ Inadequate psychological empowerment/ Insufficient professional belonging
	Professional negligence	Inadequate emotional support/ Insufficient information support/ Caring neglect/ Medical neglect
	Insufficient adherence to professional ethics	Unethical behavior/ Irresponsibility/ Inappropriate disclosure of facts/ Using elderly patients as teaching tools
Exo-level issues	Unsanitary environment	Unhygienic conditions/ Failure to adhere to the infection control principles
	Unsafe environment	Inappropriate physical environment/ Confusing conditions
Macro-level issues	Complex process of admission till discharge	Difficult processes of patient’s admission and transfer/ lengthy waiting time/ lengthy process of patient discharge
	Limitations of resources	Insufficient allocation of human resources/ Inadequate facilities and equipment
	Financial abuse	Financial neglect/ Imposing extra costs on patient/ Patient’s treatment to achieve more income