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Elder abuse associated with increased risk for hospitalization

Elder abuse among a community-dwelling population caused an increased risk for hospitalization, according to recent study findings.

“Given the soaring cost of health care in this country, the results may help health care providers focus on clinical screening, prevention and intervention of elder abuse cases in order to devise targeted strategies to reduce unnecessary utilization of health services,” XinQi Dong, MD, MPH, of Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, told Psychiatric Annals.

 

XinQi Dong

In a prospective population-based study, 6,674 older adults (mean age, 72.9 years; 58.4% women) participated in the Chicago Health and Aging Project to determine hospitalization rates and subtypes of elder abuse between 1993 and 2010. Social service agencies identified 106 participants for elder abuse.

Researchers found that reported elder abuse victims were more likely to be hospitalized (unadjusted mean annual rate, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.33-2.61) than those without elder abuse (0.62; 95% CI, 0.59-0.66). When adjusted for confounders, confirmed elder abuse cases also had higher rates of hospitalization (RR=2.00; 95% CI, 1.45-2.75).

In subtype analysis, Dong and colleagues also determined the annual rates of hospitalization for psychological abuse, 1.80 (95% CI, 0.98-2.63); physical abuse, 1.91 (95% CI, 0.47-3.35); caregiver neglect, 2.77 (95% CI, 1.58-3.97); and financial exploitation, 1.56 (95% CI, 0.90-2.21).

Elders who experienced one type of abuse had an annual hospitalization rate of 1.97 (95% CI, 0.89-3.04) and those who experienced two or more types had a rate of 2.01 (95% CI, 1.24-2.99).

“With the rapidly growing aged population in this country, problems of elder abuse will likely become even more pervasive, affecting our family, friends and loved ones,” Dong said. “We hope our study will help advocate for additional research and resources, as well as national policy initiatives, to improve the health and well-being of this vulnerable population.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.