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Examining the Relationship Between Daily Activity Levels and Elder Abuse and Neglect: Bringing Light on Elder Abuse
Gül Bülbül Maraş1, Enes Ünlübaş1
1Elderly Care Program, Vocational School of Health Services, İzmir Demokrasi University, İzmir, Turkey.
Aim:
To examine the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics, daily activity levels, and elder abuse among older adults in Turkey.
Design:
A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted across seven provinces.
Methods:
The study was carried out between January and August 2023, involving 448 older adults. Data were collected using the Sociodemographic Form, Mini-Mental State Examination, Barthel Index, and Geriatric Mistreatment Scale.
Results:
Approximately one in four participants reported experiencing at least one form of non-sexual elder abuse, with psychological abuse being the most common. Sons and male caregivers were frequently identified as perpetrators. While no significant relationship was found between daily activity dependency and abuse, factors such as lower education, poor self-rated health, intrafamily conflict, and regional variation were significantly associated with increased risk.
Conclusion:
Elder abuse remains a prevalent and underrecognized issue, shaped by both individual vulnerabilities and contextual dynamics. The absence of a direct link between functional dependency and abuse suggests the need to consider broader social and environmental factors.
Implication For The Profession And Patient Care:
Routine screening for elder abuse, particularly psychological abuse, should be part of geriatric care. Training healthcare professionals to identify risk factors-such as perceived health, family dynamics, and regional differences-and using culturally sensitive, sociodemographic assessments can improve early detection and intervention. Strengthening collaboration and community-based support is key to ensuring older adults' safety and well-being.
Impact:
The study highlights elder abuse in Turkey as a complex, regionally variable issue influenced by health perception and family dynamics. It calls for targeted, community-based interventions and stronger collaboration among healthcare providers, nurses, social workers, and policymakers, emphasising the need for improved social security and culturally sensitive training.
Reporting Method:
This study followed STROBE guidelines.
Patient Or Public Contribution:
No patient or public contribution.
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