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BMC Geriatrics Mar 2022Elder abuse is underreported and undertreated. Methods for prevention and intervention are being developed, but the knowledge guiding such measures is often...
BACKGROUND
Elder abuse is underreported and undertreated. Methods for prevention and intervention are being developed, but the knowledge guiding such measures is often insufficiently based on the victims' own voices due to a paucity of studies. The aim of this study was therefore to explore experiences of elder abuse among the victims themselves.
METHODS
Consecutive inpatients ≥ 65 years of age at a hospital clinic in Sweden were invited to participate, and 24 victims of elder abuse were identified. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted, and transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
RESULTS
The analysis generated four themes that together give a comprehensive picture of elder abuse from the participants' subjective perspectives. The participants' experiences of abuse were similar to previous third-party descriptions of elder abuse and to descriptions of abuse among younger adults, but certain aspects were substantially different. Vulnerability due to aging and diseases led to dependance on others and reduced autonomy. Rich descriptions were conveyed of neglect, psychological abuse, and other types of abuse in the contexts of both care services and family relations.
CONCLUSIONS
Elder abuse is often associated with an individual vulnerability mix of the aging body, illnesses, and help dependence in connection with dysfunctional surroundings. As individual differences of vulnerability, exposure to violence, and associated consequences were so clear, this implies that components of prevention and intervention should be individually tailored to match the needs and preferences of older victims.
Topics: Aged; Elder Abuse; Humans; Qualitative Research; Sweden
PubMed: 35351038
DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-02933-8 -
Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem 2021to analyze the actions and suggestions of Primary Care professionals in relation to elder abuse.
OBJECTIVE
to analyze the actions and suggestions of Primary Care professionals in relation to elder abuse.
METHOD
this is a research with a qualitative approach based on the realization of focus groups with professionals from Primary Health Care in a city in the interior of São Paulo. The methodological stance of Hermeneutic-Dialectic thinking (HD) was adopted.
RESULTS
two themes were listed: Actions taken by health professionals and Suggestions for improving care for elderly victims of violence.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
professionals emphasized the need to implement new resources and improve the functioning of existing ones, so that comprehensive care is possible, in order to prevent and intervene in the important social and public health problem that violence represents.
Topics: Aged; Elder Abuse; Family Health; Focus Groups; Health Personnel; Humans; Primary Health Care; Qualitative Research; Violence
PubMed: 33566931
DOI: 10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0263 -
Revista Da Escola de Enfermagem Da U S P Jan 2019To analyze economic-financial and patrimonial cases of elder abuse, recorded in the specialized police station for security and protection of the elderly of a capital...
OBJECTIVE
To analyze economic-financial and patrimonial cases of elder abuse, recorded in the specialized police station for security and protection of the elderly of a capital city in the northeast region of Brazil.
METHOD
A cross-sectional study was carried out with data extracted from police reports and inquiries recorded in the abovementioned police station. Descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out by means of Pearson's chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, and multivariate logistic regression.
RESULTS
The sample was made up of 555 police reports. The data showed that financial abuse presented a prevalence of 58.9%, and that older elderly people (67.9%), men (70.4%), and single (75.0%) presented a higher percentage of financial abuse compared with other types of violence, often occurring in public places, with 3.1 more chances of occurrence than at the elderly's home. Regarding aggressors, women (73.5%), without suspicion of alcohol use (66.4%), and non-family members committed more financial abuse, evidencing 2.97 more chances of practicing it.
CONCLUSION
In the period studied, financial abuse increased in its magnitude when compared with other types of violence, a fact that justifies researching the theme in order to prevent it.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brazil; Cross-Sectional Studies; Elder Abuse; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Sex Factors; Violence; Young Adult
PubMed: 30673050
DOI: 10.1590/S1980-220X2017043803417 -
Elder abuse victimization patterns: latent class analysis using perpetrators and abusive behaviours.BMC Geriatrics Apr 2019Research on elder abuse has defined it as a multidimensional construct that encompasses a set of different abusive behaviours, victims, perpetrators and settings. The...
BACKGROUND
Research on elder abuse has defined it as a multidimensional construct that encompasses a set of different abusive behaviours, victims, perpetrators and settings. The array of possible elder abuse configurations is difficult to capture. This study sought to identify victimization patterns that represent distinct elder abuse configurations based on specific abusive behaviours and on the relationship with the perpetrator; it also sought to determine the association between these latent classes with victims' characteristics.
METHOD
Data comes from two elder abuse surveys: a representative sample of community-dwelling adults and a convenience sample of older adults reporting elder abuse to four state and NGOs institutions. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to categorize victimization in the population-based (N = 245) and in the victims' sample (N = 510) using 7 items measuring physical, psychological and financial abuse, and appointed perpetrators. Association tests were conducted to determine differences and similarities of victims' characteristics between the different obtained classes.
RESULTS
The LCA procedure identified six different latent classes of victimization experiences in each of the samples, which were statistically and plausibly distinct. In the population-based survey: verbal abuse by others (29%); psychological abuse from children/grandchildren (18%); overlooked by others (18%); stolen by others (15%); verbal Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) (14%) and physical and psychological IPV (6%). In the victims' survey: physical abuse by children/grandchildren (29%); physical IPV (26%); psychological abuse by children/grandchildren (18%); polyvictimization by others (16%); physical abuse by others (6%) and physical and psychological IPV (4%). In the victims survey the 6 groups significantly differ in age, gender, civil status, living arrangements, perceived social support and functional status.
CONCLUSIONS
The results support the possibility of the multidimensionality of elder abuse not being accounted by the "classical" abuse typologies. Elder abuse victims seeking help may represent a distinct group from that included in population-based prevalence studies. The appointed perpetrators may be the most meaningful and relevant aspect in distinguishing victimization experiences. Further research is needed to develop tailored interventions to specific elder abuse cases and enhance successful outcomes.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Crime Victims; Cross-Sectional Studies; Elder Abuse; Female; Humans; Intimate Partner Violence; Latent Class Analysis; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 31014265
DOI: 10.1186/s12877-019-1111-5 -
Medicine and Health, Rhode Island Feb 2011
Topics: Aged, 80 and over; Caregivers; Dementia; Elder Abuse; Humans; Social Support
PubMed: 21456376
DOI: No ID Found -
East Asian Archives of Psychiatry :... Jun 2017Elder abuse is increasingly recognised as a global public health and social problem. There has been limited inter-study comparison of the prevalence and risk factors for... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Elder abuse is increasingly recognised as a global public health and social problem. There has been limited inter-study comparison of the prevalence and risk factors for elder abuse. This study aimed to estimate the pooled and subtype prevalence of elder abuse worldwide and identify significant associated risk factors.
METHODS
We conducted a meta-analysis and meta-regression of 34 population-based and 17 non-population-based studies.
RESULTS
The pooled prevalences of elder abuse were 10.0% (95% confidence interval, 5.2%-18.6%) and 34.3% (95% confidence interval, 22.9%-47.8%) in population-based studies and third party- or caregiver-reported studies, respectively. Being in a marital relationship was found to be a significant moderator using random-effects model.
CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis revealed that third parties or caregivers were more likely to report abuse than older abused adults. Subgroup analyses showed that females and those resident in non-western countries were more likely to be abused. Emotional abuse was the most prevalent elder abuse subtype and financial abuse was less commonly reported by third parties or caregivers. Heterogeneity in the prevalence was due to the high proportion of married older adults in the sample. Subgroup analysis showed that cultural factors, subtypes of abuse, and gender also contributed to heterogeneity in the pooled prevalence of elder abuse.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Elder Abuse; Female; Humans; Internationality; Male; Marriage; Prevalence; Regression Analysis; Risk Factors; Sex Factors
PubMed: 28652497
DOI: No ID Found -
Gerontology 2021
Topics: Aged; Elder Abuse; Humans; Malaysia; Nursing Homes
PubMed: 33592605
DOI: 10.1159/000513932 -
The Lancet. Healthy Longevity Apr 2023
Topics: Humans; Aged; Elder Abuse; Health Personnel; Attitude of Health Personnel
PubMed: 37003268
DOI: 10.1016/S2666-7568(23)00040-5 -
International Journal of Environmental... Sep 2018Increasing attention is being placed on the prevalence of elder abuse and its impact on mental health. This study conducted a survey of 172 elderly people in South Korea...
Increasing attention is being placed on the prevalence of elder abuse and its impact on mental health. This study conducted a survey of 172 elderly people in South Korea to determine the prevalence of elder abuse and the relationships involving elder abuse, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires, which included the Korean Geriatric Depression Screening Scale (KGDS) and Impact of Event Scale-Revised Korean version (IES-R-K). Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine the frequency of specific forms of abuse. Logistic regression models were estimated to identify the factors that contributed to risk of abuse exposure and the relationship between exposure and PTSD or depression. The results indicated around 22% of the participants reported abuse exposure, which most commonly included being refused physical contact, verbal threats, and/or being excluded from decision-making about personal issues. Low education and being unmarried, separated or divorced was associated with an increased risk of abuse exposure. There were strong associations between elder abuse and PTSD symptoms, while comparable relationships with depression were weaker and were not robust to the inclusion of control variables. The findings provided empirical support for the relationship between abuse experiences of the elderly and poor mental health and raise important issues for the mental health care of the elderly.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Elder Abuse; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Mental Health; Prevalence; Republic of Korea; Self Report; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 30200661
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15091948 -
BMC Geriatrics Sep 2023The old people population is increasing worldwide. Along with their increasing population, an increase in elder abuse cases is predicted. Elder abuse is a neglected...
BACKGROUND
The old people population is increasing worldwide. Along with their increasing population, an increase in elder abuse cases is predicted. Elder abuse is a neglected problem, and many cases go unreported. This study was conducted to identify types of elder abuse and examine associated risk factors.
METHODS
This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 500 older people in Ardabil (northwestern Iran). Data was collected over three months, from June to September 2020. Data was collected using a demographic information form and the Domestic Elder Abuse questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22). Logistic regression was used to identify factors related to elder abuse.
RESULTS
The results showed that out of the 500 participants, 258 (51.6%) were male, and 242 (48.2%) were female. Among the 500 participants, 377 individuals (75/4%) reported experiencing at least one type of abuse in the past year. The highest rate of elder abuse was observed for emotional neglect (47.2%) and psychological abuse (40.8%), while the lowest rate was measured for rejection (15.4%) and physical abuse (12.4%). The results indicated that elder abuse was significantly associated with chronic illness (OR = 0.601, 95% CI: 0.391-0.922) and having 1-4 children (OR = 1.275, 95% CI: 1.137-1.430).
CONCLUSION
Considering the high level of elder abuse and its dangerous effects on the quality of life for older people, it is essential to develop appropriate programs to increase awareness among older people and their families.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Elder Abuse; Prevalence; Quality of Life; Risk Factors
PubMed: 37777720
DOI: 10.1186/s12877-023-04307-0