Aims

To support the free and open dissemination of research findings and information on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. To encourage open access to peer-reviewed articles free for all to view.

For full versions of posted research articles readers are encouraged to email requests for "electronic reprints" (text file, PDF files, FAX copies) to the corresponding or lead author, who is highlighted in the posting.

___________________________________________

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

A Case–Control Study of Severe Physical Abuse of Older Adults



To characterize the severity and outcome of traumatic injuries suffered by victims of elder abuse, describe the characteristics of the perpetrators, and identify risk factors associated with severe traumatic elder abuse.

Case–control study.

Two Level I trauma units in the greater Chicago, Illinois, metropolitan area.

Forty-one cases of elder abuse resulting in severe traumatic injury were identified between 1999 and 2006. Controls were randomly selected from the list of elderly patients in the trauma registry (N=123).

Elder abuse was defined according to the Illinois Elder Abuse and Neglect Act.
In this study, 85% of the perpetrators were family members or intimate partners. In the final multivariable logistic regression model, victims of severe traumatic elder abuse were more likely to be female, to have a neurological or mental disorder, and to abuse drugs or alcohol.


Read Full Abstract 

Request Reprint E-Mail:  lfriedman@tspri.org  
This is the first clinical case–control study detailing clinical outcomes and evaluating risk factors of persons suffering severe physical abuse. Of elderly trauma victims, those who are physically abused have more-severe injuries than their nonabused counterparts. More research is needed to better evaluate risk factors of physical abuse and effective interventions.