Elder abuse is a multidimensional phenomenon that encompasses a broad range of behaviors, events, and circumstances. A substantial of research has been working on the risk factors, prevalence, and consequences. There is a paucity of study accessing the relationship between the experience of abuse and the mental health of older persons. The prevalence of anxiety disorders in older people range from 1.2% to 15% in the community, and up to 28% in clinical settings. Older adults experience more stressors, in particular, loss of an intimate partner, illness, disability, fears of being a burden on others, impending mortality and reduced financial support. The consequences of anxiety and related health issues are far-reaching and life-threatening. Nevertheless, evidence-based research regarding the anxiety level in older adults is not significant in our review of the literature. The purpose of this study is to explore the association between experience of abuse and anxiety level among older persons in the Pittsburgh area.
Methods:
Two questionnaires EASI (Elder Abuse Suspicion Index) and PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) were distributed to evaluate the experience of abuse and general health function like anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, sleep-related impairment, and physical function. Quantitative data were analyzed using a detailed descriptive and inferential statistical analysis.
Results:
Findings indicate that there are significant negative correlations between fearful level and physical abuse, r = -0.280, p = 0.054, fearful level and financial abuse, r=-0.406, p=0.009. Additionally, we find significant negative correlations between the extent to which individuals report hard to concentrate on anything except their anxiety and the experience of physical abuse, r=-0.318, p=0.035; and, financial abuse, r=-0.324, p=0.033. participants who experienced abuse were prone to suffer from anxiety more.
Conclusion:
The paucity of elder abuse and anxiety level shed light on the urgency to evaluate current intervention direction on violence against the elderly. This research elicited data that older persons with abused experience in the Pittsburgh area are anxious than those without abuse experience. Future research can explore the emotional need and support towards older abused adults with holistic care and human interaction.
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