Elder abuse: Screening in Iranian families

Abstract

Background: The rate of elder abuse has been increasing worldwide. This study aimed at identifying the group of elders susceptible to abuse and determining the influential factors of elder abuse. Methods: A total of 683 elders, living in rural and urban areas of Qazvin (Iran), participated in this cross- sectional study that was conducted during September to December 2015. They were selected by stratified multistage random sampling method and filled in a standard questionnaire (H-S/EAST). Multiple logistic regression models were used for data analysis in Microsoft SPSS v.18. Type 1 error was considered equal to 0.05. Results: The average age of participants was 68.5±7.6. Also, the prevalence of elder abuse in this study was 38.5 (95% CI: 3.34- 42.3). After eliminating the confounders and applying multiple regression analysis, we found a significant association between elder abuse and factors such as education level (OR= 2.003, 95% CI: 1.177-3.409), residence (OR= 3.53, 95% CI: 1.969-6.324), and age (OR= 0.963, 95% CI: 0.931-0.995). Conclusion: The results of this study indicated a high prevalence of elder abuse in the studied population. By identifying high-risk individuals for elder abuse and planning to improve their quality of life, we will be able to successfully overcome this issue.

The Impact of Abuse on the Quality of Life of the Elderly: A Population-based Survey in Iran

“…The aging of the world population affects developing countries more intensely than developed nations [1]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the elderly population worldwide is projected to increase from 11% in 2006 to 22% in 2050 [2].…”

“…Older individuals are vulnerable to physical and mental disabilities, loneliness, isolation, and a lack of social support [5]. Therefore, attention to this stage of life, especially with regard to the emotional, economic, psychological, and social dimensions, is necessary [1]. In addition, abuse is among the potential threats to the elderly, and public concern regarding this threat is growing [1,4].…”

“…Therefore, attention to this stage of life, especially with regard to the emotional, economic, psychological, and social dimensions, is necessary [1]. In addition, abuse is among the potential threats to the elderly, and public concern regarding this threat is growing [1,4]. However, elder abuse is still a neglected issue in both health policy and research [4][5][6] and is underreported, meaning that the problem may be even more severe than anticipated [5,6].…”

“…Elder abuse is defined as a single or repeated act, or the lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship in which there is an expectation of trust, where such an act or lack of action causes harm or distress to an older person [2]. Elder abuse can be categorized as physical, psychological, financial, or sexual [1]. It may also include the violation of personal rights and neglect [1].…”

“…Elder abuse can be categorized as physical, psychological, financial, or sexual [1]. It may also include the violation of personal rights and neglect [1]. The WHO reported that around 1 in 6 people aged 60 years and older experience some form of abuse in their communities annually [7,8].…”