Elder abuse is recognized as an underdetected and an underreported social problem. Difficulties in detecting elder abuse are compounded by lack of a standardized, psychometrically valid instrument for case finding. The authors examined the construct validity of the 15-item Hwalek- Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (H-S/EAST). Nine items were found to discriminate significantly among three groups: (a) elders whose reported abuse was substantiated by adult protective services (APS) case workers, (b) elders whose reported abuse was not substantiated by APS workers, and (c) a community-based comparison group. The data suggest that this short, easy-to-administer screening device can be useful to service providers interested in identifying people at high risk of the need for protective services.

Over the years, several investigators and service providers have indicated the need for a tool to screen elderly victims for the possibility of abuse and neglect. We examined over 100 items for their predictive value in discriminating cases of abuse/neglect from comparable cases of elderly persons known not to be victims. Data were collected by nine social/ health agencies on 50 cases of abuse/neglect and 47 control cases. Through a series of discriminant function data reduction analyses, nine items were identified that were 94% accurate in classifying cases into abuse/neglect and control groups. We discuss implications of these findings for future research and program planning.

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