Prevalence of elder abuse and its correlated factors in Iranian community-dowelling older adults: a cross-sectional...

The global elderly population is rapidly increasing, with projections estimating that the number of older adults will reach 2.1 billion. Elder abuse, a significant public health issue, leads to serious psychological, physical, and social consequences. Therefore, this study aims to assess the prevalence of elder abuse in Qazvin, Iran, while exploring correlated factors that may act as potential risks or protective factors, especially within the context of post-pandemic COVID-19 conditions.

This cross-sectional study, conducted from May to October 2024, included 540 older adults aged 60 and above residing in Qazvin city, Iran. Participants were selected using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a demographic checklist, the General Health Questionnaire, the Advanced Activities of Daily Living Scale, the Mini-Cog Screening Tool, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Short Version of the Domestic Elder Abuse Assessment Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using one-sided and two- sided chi-square tests, as well as a logistic regression model.

A total of 540 older adults participated in the study, with a mean age of 72.08 ± 8.08 years. The majority of the participants were married (n = 390, 72.2%) and had an average economic status (n = 348,64.4%). Among the participants, 71.1% (n = 384) reported experiencing at least one form of elder abuse within the past year, with psychological abuse (n = 274, 50.7%) and care neglect (n = 269,49.8%) being the most prevalent forms. The results indicated that elder abuse was significantly associated with good and excellent economic status (OR = 0.335, 95% CI: 0.150-0.749), being homemaker (OR = 2.789, 95% CI: 1.252-6.215), and having better mental health (OR = 0.931,95% CI: 0.885-0.980).

This study found a high prevalence of elder abuse in Qazvin city, with economic status, employment status, and mental health identified as key predictors. Based on these findings, further in-depth investigations are needed to explore the underlying causes of elder abuse. Additionally, efforts to clarify statistics and raise community awareness about the dimensions and reporting mechanisms of elder abuse are essential. The development of integrated support services to promote the physical and mental health of older adults and reduce their dependency is strongly recommended.