Elder abuse: a systematic review of risk factors in community-dwelling elders (original) (raw)

Risk Factors for Reported Elder Abuse and Neglect: A Nine-Year Observational Cohort Study

Gerontologist, 1997

To determine longitudinal risk factors for elder abuse and neglect, an established cohort of community-dwelling older adults (n = 2,812) was linked with elderly protective service records over a 9-year follow-up period. Protective services saw 184 (6.5%) individuals in the cohort for any indication, and 47 cohort members were seen for corroborated elder abuse or neglect for a sampling adjusted 9-year prevalence of 1.6% (95% Cl 1.0%, 2.1%). In pooled logistic regression, age, race, poverty, functional disability, and cognitive impairment were identified as risk factors for reported elder mistreatment. Additionally, the onset of new cognitive impairment was also associated with elder abuse and neglect. Because the mechanism of elder mistreatment case-finding in this study was a social welfare system (protective services), the influence of race and poverty as risk factors is likely to be overestimated due to reporting bias.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Suspected Elder Abuse Subtypes in People Aged 75 and Older

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2000

on behalf of the Frailty and Dependence in Girona Study Group OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of suspected elder abuse subtypes and to identify related factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, population-based, descriptive study. SETTING: Eight rural villages in Girona, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred seventy-six inhabitants aged 75 and older. MEASUREMENTS: All participants were interviewed in their homes using the study protocol, which includes an abuse screen used in previous elder abuse studies and questions about demographic, social, physical, psychiatric, cognitive, and social services variables. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 81.7 AE 4.8; 58.2% were female. Prevalence of suspected neglect abuse was 16.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 5 13.2-18.9), prevalence of psychosocial abuse was 15.2% (95% CI 5 12.8-18.2), prevalence of financial abuse was 4.7% (95% CI 5 3.0-6.4) and prevalence of physical abuse was 0.1% (95% CI 5 0.004-0.8). Psychosocial abuse was positively associated with depressive symptoms (odds ratio (OR) 5 1.65, 95% CI 5 1.01-2.72), social isolation (OR 5 0.35, 95% CI 5 0.18-0.69), and frequent bladder incontinence (OR 5 2.44, 95% CI 5 1.23-4.86). Neglect abuse was positively associated with social isolation (OR 5 0.52, 95% CI 5 0.27-0.99), use of social services (OR 5 1.83, 95% CI 5 1.05-3.20), and living arrangements (OR 5 5.29, 95% CI 5 2.65-10.56). Financial abuse was associated with marital status (OR 5 0.15, 95% CI 5 0.04-0.59), age 85 and older, (OR 5 3.84, 95% CI 5 1.70-8.68), and Mini-Mental State Examination score (OR 5 0.85, 95% CI 5 0.78-0.94).

The incidence and influencing factors of elder abuse and neglect

Journal of Public Health, 2019

Aim This study was conducted to determine the level of abuse and neglect of individuals over the age of 65 years and the factors influencing it. Subjects and methods A cross-sectional, population-based, descriptive study was conducted on 455 elderly persons in Turkey. At data collection, a socio-demographic form, which was developed by the researcher herself, an abuse evaluation form with six Likert-type questions, the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and the Perceived Emotional Abuse Scale for Adults (PEASA) were used. Results Of the participants, 26.8% experienced physical abuse, 26.9% financial abuse, 12.6% sexual abuse and 56.5% neglect and psychological abuse at an intermediate level. The average score of the ADL index was 11.0 ± 3.3. This score shows that these elderly individuals were semi-independent. Conclusion The rate of abuse and neglect was found to be intermediate. There was a positive relationship between abuse of the elderly and their ADL index.

Prevalence and correlates of elder abuse and neglect in a geriatric psychiatry service

Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 2002

To determine the prevalence and correlates of 4 types of elder abuse and neglect in a geriatric psychiatry service. We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective chart review of new in- and outpatients seen by the Montreal General Hospital Division of Geriatric Psychiatry in one calendar year. Abuse or neglect was suspected or confirmed in 20 (16%) of 126 patients, comprising financial abuse in 16 (13%), neglect in 7 (6%), emotional abuse in 5 (4%), physical abuse in 3 (2%), and multiple abuse in 7 (6%). On bivariate analysis, patients living with nonspouse family, friends, or other persons were significantly more likely to have suffered abuse than were those living with their spouse or in a supervised setting (OR 10.5; 95%CI, 2.3 to 47.8); widowed, divorced, or separated patients were significantly more likely to have suffered abuse than were married patients (OR 4.7; 95%CI, 1.02 to 22.0). Nonsignificant trends included female sex (OR 4.1; 95%CI, 0.89 to 18.6); alcohol abuse (OR 2.1...

Abuse of elders living at home: A review of recent prevalence studies.

This article presents evidence from recent studies on the prevalence of different forms of elder abuse. After a review of definitions and measures of elder abuse, the findings of 20 original studies containing 26 samples from 17 countries published since 2010 are summarized. Overall prevalence rates showed a high variability across studies, ranging from 2.2% in a study from Ireland to 43.7% in a study from Egypt. Evidence on gender differences in the vulnerability for abuse and the predominant relationship constellations between abusers and victims did not yield a consistent picture across studies. Conceptual and methodological reasons for the variability in prevalence rates are discussed, and an outlook for future research is presented. In particular, consistent definitions and measures are needed to facilitate the comparative analysis of elder abuse in different studies and cultural contexts.

Elder abuse prevalence in community settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The Lancet Global Health, 2017

Background Elder abuse is recognised worldwide as a serious problem, yet quantitative syntheses of prevalence studies are rare. We aimed to quantify and understand prevalence variation at the global and regional levels. Methods For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched 14 databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE, and MEDLINE, using a comprehensive search strategy to identify elder abuse prevalence studies in the community published from inception to June 26, 2015. Studies reporting estimates of past-year abuse prevalence in adults aged 60 years or older were included in the analyses. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to explore heterogeneity, with study quality assessed with the risk of bias tool. The study protocol has been registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42015029197. Findings Of the 38 544 studies initially identifi ed, 52 were eligible for inclusion. These studies were geographically diverse (28 countries). The pooled prevalence rate for overall elder abuse was 15•7% (95% CI 12•8-19•3). The pooled prevalence estimate was 11•6% (8•1-16•3) for psychological abuse, 6•8% (5•0-9•2) for fi nancial abuse, 4•2% (2•1-8•1) for neglect, 2•6% (1•6-4•4) for physical abuse, and 0•9% (0•6-1•4) for sexual abuse. Meta-analysis of studies that included overall abuse revealed heterogeneity. Signifi cant associations were found between overall prevalence estimates and sample size, income classifi cation, and method of data collection, but not with gender. Interpretation Although robust prevalence studies are sparse in low-income and middle-income countries, elder abuse seems to aff ect one in six older adults worldwide, which is roughly 141 million people. Nonetheless, elder abuse is a neglected global public health priority, especially compared with other types of violence. Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the WHO Department of Ageing and Life Course.

Elder Abuse in Long-Term Care: Types, Patterns, and Risk Factors

Research on Aging, 2010

The authors investigated types and patterns of elder abuse by paid caregivers in long-term care and assessed the role of several risk factors for different abuses and for multiple abuse types. The results are based on a 2005 random-digit-dial survey of relatives of persons in long-term care. We computed occurrence rates and conditional occurrence rates for each of six abuse types: physical, caretaking, verbal, emotional, neglect, and material. Among older adults who have experienced at least one type of abuse, more than half (51.4%) have experienced another type of abuse. Physical functioning problems, activities of daily living limitations, and behavioral problems are significant risk factors for at least three types of abuse and are significant for multiple abuse types. The findings have implications for those monitoring the well-being of older adults in long-term care as well as those responsible for developing public health interventions.