Elder abuse in the COVID-19 era based on calls to the National Center on Elder Abuse resource line
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated circumstances that place older adults at higher risk for abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Identifying characteristics of elder abuse during COVID-19 is critically important. This study characterized and compared elder abuse patterns across t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Geriatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03385-w |
| _version_ | 1817999225806389248 |
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| author | Gali H. Weissberger Aaron C. Lim Laura Mosqueda Julie Schoen Jenna Axelrod Annie L. Nguyen Kathleen H. Wilber Richard S. Esquivel S. Duke Han |
| author_facet | Gali H. Weissberger Aaron C. Lim Laura Mosqueda Julie Schoen Jenna Axelrod Annie L. Nguyen Kathleen H. Wilber Richard S. Esquivel S. Duke Han |
| author_sort | Gali H. Weissberger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated circumstances that place older adults at higher risk for abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Identifying characteristics of elder abuse during COVID-19 is critically important. This study characterized and compared elder abuse patterns across two time periods, a one-year period during the pandemic, and a corresponding one-year period prior to the start of the pandemic. Methods Contacts (including social media contacts, and email; all referred to as “calls” for expediency) made to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) resource line were examined for differences in types of reported elder abuse and characteristics of alleged perpetrators prior to the pandemic (Time 1; March 16, 2018 to March 15, 2019) and during the pandemic (Time 2; March 16, 2020 to March 15, 2021). Calls were examined for whether or not abuse was reported, the types of reported elder abuse, including financial, physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect, and characteristics of callers, victims, and alleged perpetrators. Chi-square tests of independence compared frequencies of elder abuse characteristics between time periods. Results In Time 1, 1401 calls were received, of which 795 calls (56.7%) described abuse. In Time 2, 1009 calls were received, of which 550 calls (54.5%) described abuse. The difference between time periods in frequency of abuse to non-abuse calls was not significant ( $$p=0.28$$ p = 0.28 ). Time periods also did not significantly differ with regard to caller, victim, and perpetrator characteristics. Greater rates of physical abuse ( $${\upchi }^{2}=23.52, p<0.001)$$ χ 2 = 23.52 , p < 0.001 ) and emotional abuse ( $${\upchi }^{2}=7.12, p=0.008)$$ χ 2 = 7.12 , p = 0.008 ) were reported during Time 2 after adjustment for multiple comparisons. An increased frequency of multiple forms of abuse was also found in Time 2 compared to Time 1 ( $${\upchi }^{2}=23.52, p<0.001)$$ χ 2 = 23.52 , p < 0.001 ) . Conclusions Findings suggest differences in specific elder abuse subtypes and frequency of co-occurrence between subtypes between time periods, pointing to a potential increase in the severity of elder abuse during COVID-19. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:05:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2974c0821c5246dfb5360950003e6b96 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2318 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:05:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Geriatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-2974c0821c5246dfb5360950003e6b962022-12-22T02:15:45ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182022-08-012211910.1186/s12877-022-03385-wElder abuse in the COVID-19 era based on calls to the National Center on Elder Abuse resource lineGali H. Weissberger0Aaron C. Lim1Laura Mosqueda2Julie Schoen3Jenna Axelrod4Annie L. Nguyen5Kathleen H. Wilber6Richard S. Esquivel7S. Duke Han8Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan UniversityDepartment of Family Medicine, USC Keck School of MedicineDepartment of Family Medicine, USC Keck School of MedicineDepartment of Family Medicine, USC Keck School of MedicineNorthShore University HealthSystemDepartment of Family Medicine, USC Keck School of MedicineUSC Leonard Davis School of GerontologyDepartment of Family Medicine, USC Keck School of MedicineDepartment of Family Medicine, USC Keck School of MedicineAbstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated circumstances that place older adults at higher risk for abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Identifying characteristics of elder abuse during COVID-19 is critically important. This study characterized and compared elder abuse patterns across two time periods, a one-year period during the pandemic, and a corresponding one-year period prior to the start of the pandemic. Methods Contacts (including social media contacts, and email; all referred to as “calls” for expediency) made to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) resource line were examined for differences in types of reported elder abuse and characteristics of alleged perpetrators prior to the pandemic (Time 1; March 16, 2018 to March 15, 2019) and during the pandemic (Time 2; March 16, 2020 to March 15, 2021). Calls were examined for whether or not abuse was reported, the types of reported elder abuse, including financial, physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect, and characteristics of callers, victims, and alleged perpetrators. Chi-square tests of independence compared frequencies of elder abuse characteristics between time periods. Results In Time 1, 1401 calls were received, of which 795 calls (56.7%) described abuse. In Time 2, 1009 calls were received, of which 550 calls (54.5%) described abuse. The difference between time periods in frequency of abuse to non-abuse calls was not significant ( $$p=0.28$$ p = 0.28 ). Time periods also did not significantly differ with regard to caller, victim, and perpetrator characteristics. Greater rates of physical abuse ( $${\upchi }^{2}=23.52, p<0.001)$$ χ 2 = 23.52 , p < 0.001 ) and emotional abuse ( $${\upchi }^{2}=7.12, p=0.008)$$ χ 2 = 7.12 , p = 0.008 ) were reported during Time 2 after adjustment for multiple comparisons. An increased frequency of multiple forms of abuse was also found in Time 2 compared to Time 1 ( $${\upchi }^{2}=23.52, p<0.001)$$ χ 2 = 23.52 , p < 0.001 ) . Conclusions Findings suggest differences in specific elder abuse subtypes and frequency of co-occurrence between subtypes between time periods, pointing to a potential increase in the severity of elder abuse during COVID-19.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03385-wElder abuseCOVID-19Financial abuseEmotional abusePhysical abuseNeglect |
| spellingShingle | Gali H. Weissberger Aaron C. Lim Laura Mosqueda Julie Schoen Jenna Axelrod Annie L. Nguyen Kathleen H. Wilber Richard S. Esquivel S. Duke Han Elder abuse in the COVID-19 era based on calls to the National Center on Elder Abuse resource line BMC Geriatrics Elder abuse COVID-19 Financial abuse Emotional abuse Physical abuse Neglect |
| title | Elder abuse in the COVID-19 era based on calls to the National Center on Elder Abuse resource line |
| title_full | Elder abuse in the COVID-19 era based on calls to the National Center on Elder Abuse resource line |
| title_fullStr | Elder abuse in the COVID-19 era based on calls to the National Center on Elder Abuse resource line |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elder abuse in the COVID-19 era based on calls to the National Center on Elder Abuse resource line |
| title_short | Elder abuse in the COVID-19 era based on calls to the National Center on Elder Abuse resource line |
| title_sort | elder abuse in the covid 19 era based on calls to the national center on elder abuse resource line |
| topic | Elder abuse COVID-19 Financial abuse Emotional abuse Physical abuse Neglect |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03385-w |
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