AI Article Synopsis
- * Out of 1061 participants aged 65 and older, 5.1% reported experiencing elder abuse, with various factors such as being female, financial difficulties, and existing mental health issues identified as significant predictors.
- * The findings suggest that ED professionals should be more vigilant in screening for elder abuse due to its notable prevalence and the associated risks to the health and safety of older adults.
Article Abstract
Introduction: Elder abuse is associated with impaired physical and psychological health. It is, however, rarely identified in emergency departments (EDs). The objective was to determine the prevalence and the predictors of elder abuse among older adults visiting EDs.
Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted in eight Canadian EDs between May and August 2021. Patients were eligible if they were ≥ 65 years old, oriented to time, and with a Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale score 3, 4 or 5. In a private setting, participants were questioned directly about abuse as part of a larger questionnaire exploring ten non-medical problems. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of elder abuse.
Results: A total of 1061 participants were recruited (mean age: 77.1 (SD 7.6) years, female sex: 55.7%, lived alone: 42.5%). Patients mostly attended EDs for pain (19.6%), neurologic (11.3%) or cardiovascular (8.4%) symptoms. The most frequent pre-existing comorbidities were hypertension (67.2%), mental health conditions (33.3%) and cardiac insufficiency (29.6%). Mobility issues outside (41.0%) or inside their home (30.7%) and loneliness (29.4%) were also frequent. Fifty-four (5.1%) participants reported elder abuse, of which 34.3% were aware of available community-based resources. Identified predictors of elder abuse were female sex (OR 2.8 [95%CI 1.4; 5.6]), financial difficulties (OR 3.6 [95%CI 1.8; 7.3]), food insecurity (OR 2.7 [95%CI 1.2; 5.6]), need for a caregiver (OR 2.7 [95%CI 1.5; 5.0]) and at least one pre-existing mental health condition (OR 2.6 [95%CI 1.4; 4.9]).
Conclusion: When questioned directly, 5.1% of older adults attending EDs reported experiencing abuse. Female sex, functional impairment, social vulnerability, and mental health comorbidities are associated with elder abuse. Given its importance and relatively high prevalence, ED professionals should have a low threshold to ask directly about elder abuse.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s43678-023-00600-4 | DOI Listing |
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Article Synopsis
- This systematic review investigated how different types of elder abuse—neglect, physical abuse, and financial abuse—affect the mental health of older adults in the U.S. and identified gaps in existing research.
- A total of 23 relevant studies were analyzed, revealing that physical abuse is linked to higher risks of depression and anxiety, while financial abuse contributes to emotional distress and social isolation, and neglect is associated with loneliness.
- The review highlighted the need for more longitudinal studies to understand causal relationships better, and recommended effective prevention strategies like caregiver support and financial education to protect the mental health of older adults.
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