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Association Between Frailty and Elder Abuse in Community‐Dwelling Older Adults in Mexico City
Author(s) -
TorresCastro Sara,
Szlejf Claudia,
ParraRodríguez Lorena,
RosasCarrasco Oscar
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/jgs.15489
Subject(s) - medicine , elder abuse , neglect , polypharmacy , alcohol abuse , geriatric depression scale , depression (economics) , physical abuse , gerontology , poison control , odds ratio , sexual abuse , substance abuse , cohort study , geriatrics , psychiatry , injury prevention , anxiety , environmental health , depressive symptoms , economics , macroeconomics
Objectives To investigate the association between frailty and elder abuse in community‐dwelling older adults. Design Secondary cross‐sectional analysis of a prospective cohort. Setting The Frailty, Dynapenia and Sarcopenia in Mexican Adults study, a cohort of community‐dwelling adults from 2 municipalities in Mexico City. Participants Community‐dwelling adults aged 60 and older (N=487, mean age 73.2 ± 8.0, 80% female). Measurements Elder abuse was assessed using the Geriatric Mistreatment Scale and frailty using the Frailty Phenotype. Abuse was then classified as total abuse (any subtype), conflict abuse (physical, psychological, sexual abuse), financial abuse, and caregiver neglect. Information was also obtained on sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, mental status, nutritional status, disability, and polypharmacy. Results Prevalence of total abuse was 35.7%. Frailty was associated with total abuse (odds ratio (OR)=2.52, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.22–5.21, p=.01) and conflict abuse (OR=2.50, 95% CI=1.18–5.33, p=.02) after adjusting for confounders but not with financial abuse or caregiver neglect. Depression was an effect modifier in the association between frailty and total abuse. Frailty was associated with total abuse in participants with depression (OR=5.23, 95% CI=1.87–14.56, p=.002) but not in those without (OR=0.55, 95% CI=0.10–2.87, p=.47). Conclusion Frailty is associated with total and conflict abuse in community‐dwelling older adults. Further studies are needed to elucidate the effect of frailty on elder abuse and investigate the effectiveness of interventions for primary and secondary prevention.