Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Elder abuse is a known public health and social problem with serious consequences. The objectives of this study are to estimate its prevalence and correlates using data from a national level study. METHODS: A total of 3,977 older persons aged ?60 years residing in the community nationwide were interviewed face-to-face by trained interviewers. Screening of 3,466 older persons for elder abuse utilising a validated tool from the National Irish Prevalence Survey on Elder Abuse was done after excluding those with probable cognitive impairment and needing assistance to answer. Those who screened positive in any one domain from psychological, financial, physical, sexual abuse or neglect, in the past 12 months, were categorised as overall elder abuse. The stratified cluster sampling design ensured national representativeness, with complex sampling analyses done. RESULTS: An estimated 9.0% of older persons in Malaysia screened positive for elder abuse. There was no significant difference by sex and strata (urban or rural). Those with poorer social support (AOR 5.0, 95%CI: 2.25, 11.22), dependency in performing Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (AOR 2.1, 95%CI: 1.23, 3.44) and prior history of abuse (AOR 10.1, 95%CI: 4.50, 22.86) had higher odds of experiencing elder abuse. Neglect was the commonest (7.5%, 95%CI: 5.54, 10.07). Multiple domains of abuse were reported by almost 5% of abused older persons. None however reported this to health providers, and only one to a social worker, out of the 19.3% who did report this to authorities. DISCUSSION: Elder abuse prevalence was found similar other local studies (4.5% to 9.7%), but lower than global estimates (12.8 to 19.3%). Community based programs to improve social support should be emphasized to decrease social isolation among older persons. Those with higher dependency in ADL have higher risk of experiencing elder abuse, thus supporting caregivers is an important measure to prevent elder abuse. A previous history of abuse should flag the older person for detection of elder abuse.
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@proceedings{APCPH-2019-25,
title = {Elder Abuse Among Malaysian Older Persons Residing in The Community},
author = {Rajini Sooryanarayana and Shubash Shander Ganapathy and Norazizah Ibrahim Wong and Azriman Rosman and Choo Wan Yuen and Noran Naqiah Mohd Hairi and Mohd Amierul Fikri and Nur Azna Mahmud and Nik Adilah Shahein and Mohd Aznuddin Abd Razak and Tania Robert},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-07-22},
urldate = {2019-07-22},
journal = {6th Asia-Pacific Conference on Public Health 2019 Proceedings},
issue = {6},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Elder abuse is a known public health and social problem with serious consequences. The objectives of this study are to estimate its prevalence and correlates using data from a national level study. METHODS: A total of 3,977 older persons aged ?60 years residing in the community nationwide were interviewed face-to-face by trained interviewers. Screening of 3,466 older persons for elder abuse utilising a validated tool from the National Irish Prevalence Survey on Elder Abuse was done after excluding those with probable cognitive impairment and needing assistance to answer. Those who screened positive in any one domain from psychological, financial, physical, sexual abuse or neglect, in the past 12 months, were categorised as overall elder abuse. The stratified cluster sampling design ensured national representativeness, with complex sampling analyses done. RESULTS: An estimated 9.0% of older persons in Malaysia screened positive for elder abuse. There was no significant difference by sex and strata (urban or rural). Those with poorer social support (AOR 5.0, 95%CI: 2.25, 11.22), dependency in performing Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (AOR 2.1, 95%CI: 1.23, 3.44) and prior history of abuse (AOR 10.1, 95%CI: 4.50, 22.86) had higher odds of experiencing elder abuse. Neglect was the commonest (7.5%, 95%CI: 5.54, 10.07). Multiple domains of abuse were reported by almost 5% of abused older persons. None however reported this to health providers, and only one to a social worker, out of the 19.3% who did report this to authorities. DISCUSSION: Elder abuse prevalence was found similar other local studies (4.5% to 9.7%), but lower than global estimates (12.8 to 19.3%). Community based programs to improve social support should be emphasized to decrease social isolation among older persons. Those with higher dependency in ADL have higher risk of experiencing elder abuse, thus supporting caregivers is an important measure to prevent elder abuse. A previous history of abuse should flag the older person for detection of elder abuse.},
note = {Type: PLENARY AND SYMPOSIUM; Organisation: 1Institute for Public Health, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, 2Non-Communicable Disease Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, 3Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya},
keywords = {elder abuse, Malaysia, National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), neglect, older persons},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}