A systematic review of interventions for elder abuse

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Social Work

Background:

• Elder abuse is a significant public health concern requiring effective interventions.
• Existing research on intervention effectiveness is limited and requires synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and summarize the effectiveness of interventions aimed at addressing elder abuse.
• To evaluate intervention outcomes including abuse recurrence, case resolution, caregiver well-being, and professional practices.

Main Methods:

• A rigorous systematic review was conducted.
• Inclusion criteria were applied to identify relevant studies.
• Eight studies met the inclusion criteria for analysis.

Main Results:

• Limited evidence on abuse recurrence indicated interventions may increase, not decrease, recurrence.
• No significant effects were observed on case resolution or at-risk caregiver outcomes.
• Mixed results were found regarding improvements in professional knowledge and behavior related to elder abuse.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence suggests elder abuse interventions have a limited or no significant effect on key outcomes.
• Methodological limitations of the included studies restrict the ability to draw firm conclusions.
• Further high-quality research is needed to establish effective elder abuse interventions.