NCJ Number
226167
Journal
Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect Volume: 21 Issue: 1 Dated: January-March 2009 Pages: 1-14
Date Published
January 2009
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article presents an overview of the United Kingdom's National Prevalence Study of Elder Mistreatment conducted in 2006.
Abstract
Based on "mistreatment" defined as financial, psychological, physical, sexual abuse, as well as neglect, the study found that in the past year, 2.6 percent of people ages 66 and older living in the community reported they had experienced mistreatment. The most common type of reported mistreatment was neglect (1.1 percent), followed by financial abuse (0.7 percent), psychological and physical abuse (0.4 percent), and sexual abuse (0.2 percent). Each category of mistreatment showed wide variation in the types of mistreatment encountered. The prevalence of neglect was highest among women ages 85 and older (5.0 percent compared with 1.1 percent among women ages 66-84). On the other hand, abuse among women decreased with age; whereas, among men the prevalence of abuse increased with age. This was largely explained by an increase in financial abuse. Overall, mistreatment varied by marital status, ranging from 9.4 percent of those separated or divorced to 1.4 percent of those who were widowed. Higher rates of abuse were experienced by those who had been in semiroutine and routine occupations (4.1 percent) compared with those who had been employers and self-employed (0.1 percent). The prevalence of mistreatment increased with declining health. Overall, 51 percent of the mistreatment reported in the past year was attributed to a partner or spouse, 49 percent to another family member, 13 percent to a care worker, and 5 percent to a close friend. The surveyed sample consisted of 2,111 respondents, who answered questions in a face-to-face presentation of a questionnaire. The sample was weighted to be representative of the older population of the United Kingdom. 3 tables, 3 figures, and 14 references