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Formal and informal social participation and elder mistreatment in a national sample of older adults
Author(s) -
Yang Emmy Z.,
Kotwal Ashwin A.,
Lisha Nadra E.,
Wong Jaclyn S.,
Huang Alison J.
Publication year - 2021
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.17282
Subject(s) - medicine , odds ratio , attendance , ethnic group , logistic regression , cohort , gerontology , odds , demography , confidence interval , elder abuse , social support , poison control , suicide prevention , psychology , social psychology , medical emergency , pathology , sociology , anthropology , economics , economic growth
Background/Objectives Older adults' susceptibility to mistreatment may be affected by their participation in social activities, but little is known about relationships between social participation and elder mistreatment. Design Cross‐sectional analysis. Setting/Participants National probability sample of older community‐dwelling U.S. adults interviewed in 2015–2016, including 1268 women and 973 men (mean age 75 years and 76 years, respectively; 82% non‐Hispanic white). Measurements Frequency of participation in formal activities (organized meetings, religious services, and volunteering) and informal social activities (visiting friends and family) was assessed by questionnaire. Elder mistreatment included emotional (four items), physical (two items), and financial mistreatment (two items) since age 60. Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between each type of social participation and elder mistreatment among men and women, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, and comorbidity. Results Forty percent of women and 22% of men reported at least one form of mistreatment (emotional, physical, or financial). Women reporting at least monthly engagement in formal social activities were more likely to report emotional mistreatment (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09–2.33). Among men, monthly organized meeting attendance was associated with increased odds of emotional mistreatment (AOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.01–1.93). Weekly informal socializing was inversely associated with emotional mistreatment (AOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.44–0.78) and financial mistreatment (AOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.42–0.85) among women. Conclusion In this national cohort, older adults who were frequently engaged in formal social activities reported similar or higher levels of mistreatment than those with less frequent organized social participation. Older women with regular informal contact with family or friends were less likely to report some kinds of mistreatment. Strategies for detecting and mitigating elder mistreatment should consider differences in patterns of formal and informal social participation and their potential contribution to mistreatment risk.