Patterns of Abuse among Older Adults in General Outpatients Clinic of UATH Abuja, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: Elder abuse refers to any intentional act or neglect that causes harm or distress to an older adult. It affects a significant number of older adults globally and can occur in homes, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities. Abuse can be financial, physical, emotional, or even take the form of neglect. The consequences of elder abuse are usually devastating and may affect the individual's quality of life. This study sets out to assess the abuse among older adults a ending the General Outpatient Clinic and its relationship to social support. 

Methods: It was a cross-sectional study of 259 participants. The Elder Abuse Suspicion Index (EASI) was used to assess for abuse among the participants. It is a validated tool developed specifically to help primary care physicians detect victims of elder abuse. The Oslo Social Support Scale-3 (OSSS-3) was used to assess social support among the participants. It provides a brief measure of social functioning and covers different levels of social support.

Results: At the end of the study, 7.7% of the participants relied on caregivers for their basic activities of daily living, and less than half (37.7%) of the participants had emotional abuse, though it accounted for the highest form of abuse. Physical abuse was reported in 19% of our study participants, while 10.1% experienced financial abuse. Only 2.7% complained of neglect. There was a significant association between social support and emotional abuse (chi-square 13.79, p=0.001) and financial abuse (Chi-square = 11.39, p = 0.003), suggesting that the level of 
social support is correlated with these forms of abuse. 

Conclusion: The consequence of elder abuse is severe and can result in psychological trauma. A multidisciplinary approach is needed in the management of abuse in older persons. It is important to raise awareness, provide social support, and implement preventive measures to combat this menace and ensure the well-being and dignity of older adults.