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Association between elder abuse and telomere shortening in older adults: A 2‐year prospective study
Author(s) -
Fang Boye,
Yan Elsie,
Tung Keith,
Liu Zuyun,
Ip Patrick
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.5390
Subject(s) - elder abuse , medicine , confounding , physical abuse , poison control , injury prevention , suicide prevention , psychological abuse , psychiatry , occupational safety and health , gerontology , clinical psychology , child abuse , environmental health , pathology
Backgrounds Elder abuse is a public health issue associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Its impact on victims' health at the cellular level, however, remains unknown. This study assessed the association between abuse exposure and shortening of telomere length (TL), a promising molecular marker for biological aging, in older victims. Setting The geriatric departments of three Grade‐A hospitals in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Participants Six hundred Chinese older adults, including 300 abused victims and 300 non‐abused controls were randomly drawn respectively from a larger sample of 467 abused and 518 non‐abused older adults recruited at baseline. Participants were assessed for physical and psychological abuse exposure at baseline between September 2015 and February 2016 and assessed for TL 2 years after the abuse assessment. Measurements TL was quantified using a quantitative PCR method and expressed as T/S ratio (the ratio of telomere repeat copy numbers to single‐copy gene numbers). Physical and psychological abuse was measured using the Revised Conflicts Tactics Scale. Results Adjusting for demographic, medical, and behavioral confounders, physical and psychological abuse exposure at baseline were independently associated with shorter TL at follow‐up. The association was the most significant between multiple forms of abuse (physical and psychological) exposure and shorter TL. Conclusion This study provides the first evidence on the relationship between abuse and shortened TL in older victims, implying the potential effect of elder abuse on accelerated cellular aging. The findings suggest the importance of routinely assessing and intervening abuse in older adults by healthcare professionals, to promote and maintain physical health in older adults.