Creating opportunities to improve detection of older adult abuse: a national interRAI study

Creating opportunities to improve detection of older adult abuse: a national interRAI study

Author:
Publication type: 
Journal Article
Year: 
2022
Journal/Series title: 
BMC geriatrics
Volume number: 
22
Issue: 
1
Pages: 
220
Abstract: 

Despite being recognized as a major global health issue, older adult abuse (OAA) remains largely undetected and under-reported. Most OAA assessment tools fail to capture true prevalence. Follow up of patients where abuse exposure is not easily determined is a necessity. The interRAI-HC (International Resident Assessment Instrument-Home Care) currently underestimates the extent of abuse. We investigated how to improve detection of OAA using the interRAI-HC. Analysis of 7 years of interRAI-HC data from an Aotearoa New Zealand cohort was completed. We identified that through altering the criteria for suspicion of OAA, capture rates of at-risk individuals could be nearly doubled from 2.6% to 4.8%. We propose that via adapting the interRAI-HC criteria to include the "unable to determine" whether abuse occurred (UDA) category, identification of OAA sufferers could be substantially improved. Improved identification will facilitate enhanced protection of this vulnerable population.Copyright © 2022. The Author(s).