Epidemiology of Homicide in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Empirical research investigating older adult homicide is sparse and rarely accumulated for greater insights. This systematic review and meta-analysis quantifies the prevalence and characteristics of homicide victimization among older adults (65 years and older) compared with younger adults (18–64 years). Method: We searched Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane, Criminal Justice Abstracts, EMBASE, MEDLINE, ProQuest, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published before December 31, 2018 (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews registration: CRD42017054536). Included were English-language, original, peer-reviewed studies describing the homicide of older adults. Excluded were studies not meeting age criteria, residence as an institution, or with insufficient outcome variables. The review included 39 studies; 17 were included in the meta-analysis. Data were extracted via open access or from study authors. Heterogeneity was assessed through study-level random effects estimates. Results: Pooled homicide rates per 100,000 population were 2.02 (95% CI [1.23, 3.33]) for older adults ( n = 35,325) and 3.98 (95% CI [2.42, 6.53]) for younger adults ( n = 607,224; rate ratio = .51, 95% CI [0.37, 0.70], p < .001). Proportion estimates for older adults: victim female 46.3%, location home 71.4%, offender familiar 25.2%, compared to stranger, 24.2%, motive argument 36.1%, compared to felony 30.8%, and weapon firearm 24.5%. Older adults were significantly different to younger adult victims ( p = <.001) for female ( OR = 2.5, 95% CI [2.02, 3.10]), home (3.87, 95% CI [3.45, 4.35]), stranger (1.81, 95% CI [1.66, 1.98]), argument (0.33, 95% CI [0.28, 0.39]), felony (2.78, 95% CI [2.58, 2.99]), and firearm (0.38, 95% CI [0.36, 0.40]). Conclusions: Homicide against older adults differs from younger adults and warrants specific research and tailored prevention strategies.

Female Homicide in Italy in 2021: Different Criminological and Psychopathological Perspectives on the Phenomenon

“…The killing of an elderly female by a partner or family member represented the prevalent situation in the 2021 Italian female homicide data. This result is not consistent with the data in the study by Kennedy et al [ 28 ], who highlighted the presence of a stranger in almost a quarter of female homicide cases and noted crime to be a motive in the killing of approximately a third of elderly homicide cases. Our data may be explained by the low Italian homicide rate when compared with the rates of other crimes.…”

Trend Analysis of Homicide Mortality and Years of Life Lost in the South of Iran, 2004-2019

“… 5 In 1996, the World Health Assembly (1996) called for violence research to be promoted as a public health research priority. 6 In 2015, it was estimated that 51 000 adolescents globally died from homicide, which was far more than the number of adolescent deaths from armed conflict (30 000), including war and internal unrest 7 .…”

The epidemiology of homicide among older adults: retrospective analysis using data from the Victorian Homicide Register

“…A recent meta-analysis reported a pooled older adult homicide rate of 2.02 per 100,000 [ 11 ], for the USA and other high-income Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, and one that is lower than for younger adults aged 18–64 years (3.98 per 100,000). A study comparing mortality across the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand reported no decreasing trend in the older adult homicide rate between 2000 and 2012 [ 12 ].…”

“…The stereotypical older adult homicide victim has been characterised as an older woman who is killed in their home by a stranger [ 6 , 11 ]. In a recent meta-analysis, [ 11 ] the actual proportion estimate was lower for females than males (46.3 v 53.7%), and one-quarter (25.2%) were killed by family members, followed by strangers (24.2%), with an argument motive in 36.1% and a firearm mechanism in 24.5% of cases.…”

“…The stereotypical older adult homicide victim has been characterised as an older woman who is killed in their home by a stranger [ 6 , 11 ]. In a recent meta-analysis, [ 11 ] the actual proportion estimate was lower for females than males (46.3 v 53.7%), and one-quarter (25.2%) were killed by family members, followed by strangers (24.2%), with an argument motive in 36.1% and a firearm mechanism in 24.5% of cases. When compared with younger adult homicides, older adult victims were more likely to be female (2.5-fold), and to have been killed by a stranger (1.8-fold), during a felony (2.8-fold), in their own home (3.9-fold) [ 11 ].…”