European map of prevalence rates on elder abuse and its impact for future research

Abstract

IntroductionWHO and the International Network of the Prevention of Elder Abuse have recognised the abuse of older people as a significant global problem. Notwithstanding this recognition, generally the issue of elder abuse does not emerge as a major theme in research nor in the work of policymakers.MethodThis research is part of the “prevalence study of Abuse and Violence against Older Women” (AVOW) which is funded by the EU's Daphne III programme. The AVOW-study aims to provide knowledge about the prevalence of abuse and violence against older women in five European countries (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Lithuania and Portugal). The first phase of the research consisted of providing an overview about the state of the art of prevalence research on elder abuse, survey designs and methods, instruments and results in all European countries. Therefore, an extensive literature search and qualitative content analysis was conducted.Results and ConclusionSome EU-countries have a rich history of prevalence research, whereas other countries have just begun to tackle the issue. One of the lacunae concerns reliable data on the prevalence of elder abuse. Research about where, when and how often elder abuse occurs, is largely inadequate and inconsistent. Surveying elders on such a sensitive topic, however, implies a modified questionnaire and an adapted data collection method. Conclusively, substantive attention is paid to develop possible guidelines for future research.

Understanding Elder Abuse in Italy: Perception and Prevalence, Types and Risk Factors From a Review of the Literature

“…A further consideration regarded the awareness of different levels of development of the prevalence of research on elder abuse and neglect throughout the European countries , with Italy having just begun to investigate this aspect at national level. Moreover, there was evidence that estimated prevalence and other characteristics of elder abuse may vary between countries and also between studies within the same country, thus probably reflecting real cross-national and cross-cultural variations in rates of elder abuse, as well as differences in definitions and categories of elder abuse, and in instruments used to measure the phenomenon (Cooper et al, 2008;De Donder et al, 2011;Daly, Merchant, & Jogerst, 2011).…”

Measuring Older Adults' Abuse: Evaluation of Formative Indicators to Promote Brevity

“…Face validity was ensured based on four aspects: Indicators were derived from an extensive international literature review (De Donder et al, 2011). A cross-cultural academic expert panel reviewed these items, agreeing that they met the theoretical perspectives of elder abuse.…”

“…Nevertheless, elder abuse is often defined as ''a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person'' (Action on Elder Abuse, 1995, p. 5;World Health Organization [WHO], 2002). And elder abuse is most often conceptualised as a multifaceted phenomenon comprising several types of abuse: neglect, emotional, financial, physical, sexual abuse, and violation of personal rights (Cooper, Selwood, & Livingston, 2008;De Donder et al, 2011). Because elder abuse is a significant global problem, it needs to be assessed and monitored through accurate (and) brief procedures (Bennett, Levin, & Straka, 2002).…”

“…De Donder et al (2011) concluded in a literature review on prevalence studies in Europe that researchers often reproduce existing measures or invent new ones without providing sufficient methodological accounts. Moreover, hardly any of the prevalence studies discussed objectivity, reliability, and validity of the measurement instrument(s)-and statistical information is scarce.…”

Development of a culture sensitive prevalence study on older adults violence: qualitative methods contribution

“…Although some systematic reviews developed in the past decade identified this conceptual and methodological diversity (Cooper et al, 2008;De Donder et al, 2011), an internationally adopted concept definition is still lacking. The growth of prevalence studies, as indicated by Biggs and Haapala (2010), is not necessarily accompanied by the conceptual development of the problem, and the field has largely stood still.…”