Elder abuse: Types, risk factors and its effect on quality of life among institutional and non-institutional elderly population in Cairo, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

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Community and Occupational Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Cairo, Al-Azhar University, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: Elder abuse is an intentional mistreatment of individuals aged 60 years and above, including physical, sexual, psychological, economic, social abuse and negligence. It is a complex phenomenon, and various factors contribute to its occurrence. Elder abuse can have severe consequences, such as depression, isolation, frustration and institutionalization. It also has detrimental effects on elders' quality of life.
Objective: To identify different types of elder abuse, determine its associated risk factors, and assess elders' quality of life.
Methodology: This is an analytical cross-sectional study conducted at 22 geriatric homes and 8 social insurance offices randomly selected from North, South, East, and West Zones of Cairo governorate on a total sample of 500 elders. A cluster random sample from geriatric homes was taken from each zone proportionally allocated to the number of its included districts. Consequently, non-institutionalized elders were chosen by a systematic random sample technique from social insurance offices adjacent to randomly selected districts. Data were collected using interviewer-administered valid and reliable questionnaires.
Results: Elder abuse has occurred among 69.4% of the studied sample in the previous 12 months of the interview. Psychological abuse was the predominant type of abuse followed by self-negligence; then economic, physical, social, and sexual abuse. Elders who were single, staying in geriatric homes, illiterates and had insufficient income were more likely to be abused. Logistic regression revealed that being currently not working men or housewives, and living alone were independent predictors of elder abuse. Elder abuse was found to have an inverse relationship with quality of life and its domains.
Conclusion: Elder abuse is a relevant public health problem. Various risk factors are implicated to its occurrence and it has detrimental effects on elders' quality of life. Successful preventive and management measures across the family, community, and institutional contexts are needed.

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