Screening for Elder Abuse in the Veterans Health Administration: Varied Approaches Across a National Health System.

BACKGROUND: Elder abuse (EA) is common and has devastating health consequences yet is rarely detected by healthcare professionals. While EA screening tools exist, little is known about if and how these tools are implemented in real-world clinical settings. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has experience screening for, and resources to respond to, other forms of interpersonal violence and may provide valuable insights into approaches for EA screening. OBJECTIVE: Describe EA screening practices across a national integrated healthcare system serving a large population of older adults at risk for EA. DESIGN: Survey of all 139 VHA medical centers from January to August 2021. PARTICIPANTS: Surveys were completed by the Social Work Chief, or delegate, at each site. MAIN MEASURES: The survey assessed the presence and characteristics of EA-specific screening practices as well as general abuse/neglect screening conducted with patients of all ages, including older adults. Follow-up emails were sent to sites that reported screening requesting additional details not included in the initial survey. KEY RESULTS: Overall, 130 sites (94%) responded. Among respondents, 5 (4%) reported screening older adults for EA using a previously published tool, while 6 (5%) reported screening for EA with an unstudied or locally developed tool. Forty-eight percent reported screening patients of all ages for general abuse/neglect using unstudied questions/tools, and 44% reported no EA screening at their site. Characteristics of screening programs (e.g., frequency, clinical setting, provider type) varied widely between sites, as did respondents' understanding of the definition of screening. CONCLUSIONS: High variability in screening practices for abuse/neglect and lack of EA-specific screening in a system that has successfully deployed other standardized screening approaches present an important opportunity to standardize and improve EA detection practices. Lessons learned in VHA could help advance the evidence base for EA screening more broadly to increase overall detection rates for EA nationally.

Evidências científicas da prática da violência contra a pessoa idosa: revisão integrativa / Evidencias científicas de la práctica de violencia contra personas mayores: revisión integradora / Scientific evidence of the violence against the older adult: an integrative review

Resumo Objetivo: Analisar as evidências científicas da violência praticada contra a pessoa idosa, com destaque para a prevalência, o perfil da vítima e os fatores de risco. Métodos: Revisão integrativa de artigos disponíveis nas bases de dados da PubMed®, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Banco de Dados em Enfermagem (BDENF), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) e Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), publicados entre 2015 a 2019, a partir dos descritores: "idoso", " elderly ", " older person " , " aged ", " old ", " exposure to violence ", "exposição à violência", " aging ", envelhecimento", " elder abuse " , " domestic violence " , " violence ", "violência", "maus-tratos ao idoso" e "violência doméstica". Para refinamento, foram utilizadas as quatro fases do diagrama de fluxo de seleção de artigos do PRISMA. Resultados: Foram identificados 17 artigos que apresentaram como fatores de risco aumentados para a violência contra a pessoa idosa idade avançada, disfuncionalidade familiar, falta de acesso a direitos sociais e condições crônicas de incapacidade. Conclusão: O estudo traz contribuições diretas para os profissionais e setores interessados no enfrentamento da violência contra a pessoa idosa, a qual possui alta prevalência na sociedade atual.

Resumen Objetivo: Analizar las evidencias científicas de la violencia practicada contra personas mayores, con énfasis en la prevalencia, el perfil de la víctima y los factores de riesgo. Métodos: Revisión integradora de artículos disponibles en las bases de datos de PubMed®, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Banco de Dados em Enfermagem (BDENF), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) y Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud (LILACS), publicados entre 2015 y 2019, a partir de los descriptores: "anciano", " elderly ", " older person " , " aged ", " old ", " exposure to violence ", "exposición a la violencia", " aging ", "envejecimiento", " elder abuse " , " domestic violence " , " violence ", "violencia", "malos tratos al anciano" y "violencia doméstica". Para refinar la búsqueda, se utilizaron las cuatro fases del diagrama de flujo de selección de artículos PRISMA. Resultados: Se identificaron 17 artículos que presentaron los siguientes factores de riesgo aumentados en la violencia contra personas mayores: edad avanzada, disfuncionalidad familiar, falta de acceso a derechos sociales y condiciones crónicas de incapacidad. Conclusión: El estudio contribuye directamente para los profesionales y sectores interesados en el enfrentamiento a la violencia contra personas mayores, que tiene una alta prevalencia en la sociedad actual.

Abstract Objective: To analyze the scientific evidence of violence against the older adult, with emphasis on the prevalence, the profile of the victim, and the risk factors. Methods: An integrative review of articles available in the PubMed® databases, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Nursing Database (BDENF), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and Latin American and Caribbean Research on Health Sciences (LILACS), published between 2015 and 2019, using the descriptors: "idoso" , "older adult", "older person", "aged", "old", "exposure to violence", " exposição à violência ", "aging", envelhecimento" , "elder abuse", "domestic violence", "violence", " violência", "maus-tratos ao idoso" and "violência doméstica" . As to refine it, the four phases of the PRISMA study selection flow diagram were used. Results: 17 articles were identified which presented as increased risk factors for violence against the older adult, family dysfunction, lack of access to social rights and chronic conditions of disability. Conclusion: The study brings direct contributions to professionals and sectors interested in facing violence against the older adult, which has a high prevalence in today's society.

Violence against the elderly: the conceptions of nursing professionals regarding detection and prevention. / Violência contra idosos: concepções dos profissionais de enfermagem acerca da detecção e prevenção.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the conceptions of the nursing professionals working in Basic Health Units regarding the detection and prevention of violence against the elderly. METHODS: Descriptive, exploratory, qualitative study. Performed in two BHUs in Mossoró/RN, using a semi-structured interview script, from March to August of 2013. Sample composed of four nurses and six nursing technicians. The content analysis, pre-analysis, material exploration, and treatment of results were performed. RESULTS: Four categories were identified: Strategies used to identify violence against the elderly; Types of violence against the elderly; Conduct used after finding a suspicion of violence; SUS and the problem of violence against the elderly. Many professionals recognize/distrust possible cases, however, they do not know how to proceed. The dimension of the problem requires that pragmatic interventions be performed in the clinical setting and in the social context. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: There is a need for continuing education for professionals and greater communication between the bodies responsible for reporting and embracement.

Violência contra idosos: concepções dos profissionais de enfermagem acerca da detecção e prevenção / Violencia contra ancianos: conceptos de profesionales de enfermería sobre la detección y prevención / Violence against the elderly: the conceptions of nursing professionals regarding detection and prevention

Resumo OBJETIVO Analisar as concepções dos profissionais de enfermagem atuantes em Unidades Básicas de Saúde quanto à detecção e prevenção de idosos violentados. MÉTODOS Estudo descritivo, exploratório, qualitativo. Realizado em duas UBS, Mossoró/RN, utilizando roteiro de entrevista semiestruturada, em março a agosto de 2013. Amostra composta por quatro enfermeiros e seis técnicos de enfermagem. Realizada análise de conteúdo. RESULTADOS Identificaram-se 4 categorias: Estratégias utilizadas para identificar a violência contra o idoso; Tipos de violências contra o idoso; Conduta utilizada após constatação de uma suspeita de violência; SUS e a problemática da violência contra o idoso. Muitos profissionais reconhecem/desconfiam dos possíveis casos, entretanto, não sabem como proceder. A dimensão do problema exige que sejam realizadas intervenções pragmáticas no meio clínico e no contexto social. CONCLUSÕES Há necessidade de educação permanente para profissionais e maior comunicação entre as instâncias responsáveis pela denúncia e acolhimento.

Resumen OBJETIVO Analizar los conceptos de enfermeros activos en unidades básicas de la salud sobre la detección y prevención del maltrato hacia personas ancianas. MÉTODOS Estudio exploratorio, descriptivo y cualitativo, realizado en dos UBS, en Mossoro/RN, por medio de entrevistas semiestructuradas entre marzo y agosto de 2013. Se realizó el estudio con cuatro enfermeros y seis técnicos de enfermería. Se llevó a cabo el análisis de contenido. RESULTADOS El análisis se divide en 4 categorías: Estrategias utilizadas para identificar la violencia contra ancianos; Tipos de violencia contra personas mayores; Acción utilizada luego de detectarse la violencia; y SUS y el tema de la violencia contra ancianos. Muchos profesionales reconocen/desconfían de los posibles casos, sin embargo, no saben cómo proceder. La magnitud del problema requiere de intervenciones pragmáticas que se lleven a cabo en el ámbito clínico y en el contexto social. CONSIDERACIONES FINALES Existe la necesidad de una educación continua para profesionales y una mayor comunicación entre los organismos responsables de la queja y acogida.

Abstract OBJECTIVE To analyze the conceptions of the nursing professionals working in Basic Health Units regarding the detection and prevention of violence against the elderly. METHODS Descriptive, exploratory, qualitative study. Performed in two BHUs in Mossoró/RN, using a semi-structured interview script, from March to August of 2013. Sample composed of four nurses and six nursing technicians. The content analysis, pre-analysis, material exploration, and treatment of results were performed. RESULTS Four categories were identified: Strategies used to identify violence against the elderly; Types of violence against the elderly; Conduct used after finding a suspicion of violence; SUS and the problem of violence against the elderly. Many professionals recognize/distrust possible cases, however, they do not know how to proceed. The dimension of the problem requires that pragmatic interventions be performed in the clinical setting and in the social context. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS There is a need for continuing education for professionals and greater communication between the bodies responsible for reporting and embracement.

Maltrato institucional a adultos mayores / Institutional elder abuse

El maltrato institucional se refiere a cualquier forma de abuso que ocurre en servicios dirigidos a los ancianos. Esta revisión bibliográfica muestra que el maltrato se presenta con mayor frecuencia en residencias de larga estadía y el tipo más frecuente es la negligencia. Los factores asociados son los que tienen relación con el residente y con el ambiente. Las principales estrategias son invertir recursos socio sanitarios, sensibilizar a la población respecto al maltrato de los ancianos, considerar las necesidades de estos, fortalecer la formación de pregrado de los profesionales de salud en este ámbito y realizar educación continua. El maltrato es un problema social que debe ser abordado de manera integral (AU)

Institutional abuse refers to any form of abuse that occurs in services for the elderly. This literature review indicates that abuse occurs more frequently in nursing homes and the most frequent type of neglect. The factors that may relate to the relationship with the resident and the environment. The main strategies relate to social and health invest resources, raising awareness about the abuse of the elderly, consider their needs, strengthen undergraduate education of health professionals in this field and make continuing education. Abuse is a social problem so this must be addressed holistically (AU)

[Breaking silence and its barriers: a household survey on domestic violence against the elderly within the scope of a Family Health Program in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil]. / Rompendo o silêncio e suas barreiras: um inquérito domiciliar sobre a violência doméstica contra idosos em área de abrangência do Programa Médico de Família de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

The objective of this paper was to study the prevalence of domestic physical violence against the elderly in an area covered by the Family Health Program in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Using a household survey, 322 subjects 60 years or older were randomly selected from the census of seniors assigned to six health teams. Violence against seniors was detected by means of the Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS1). Physical violence in general was reported by 10.1% (95%CI: 6.7; 13.4) of interviewees, whereas 7.9% (95%CI: 4.9; 10.8) referred having been victims of severe physical violence in the preceding year. Violence was more frequent: against the "younger" elderly; in larger households; and against seniors with a history of diabetes and/or arthritis. The extent of violence against the elderly, even higher prevalence among those with other vulnerabilities, and its negative health consequences highlight the need for measures to deal with the problem within routine activities under the Family Health Program.

[An epidemiological study on domestic violence in Hunan, China].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of domestic violence (DV) in Hunan. METHODS: Using a multi-stage sampling strategy, 9451 households involving 32 720 persons in urban, rural and industrial areas in Hunan, China were studied. Multiform clue investigation and face-to-face interviews were combined to investigate the prevalence of DV. RESULTS: A lifetime prevalence of DV was reported by 1533 households (16.2%). A total of 1098 households (11.6%) reported at least one incident of DV in the previous year. Both lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DV varied significantly by geographic setting (P < 0.01). The lifetime prevalence abuse rates were: spousal 10.2%, child abuse 7.8%, and elder 1.5%. With regard to household structure, the lifetime prevalence of DV was highest among those remarried families (21.0%), followed by married couples with one child and extended families with several generations living together (20.1% and 20.0%, respectively). The highest rate of spousal abuse was found among remarried families (14.7%), while child and elder abuse was most prevalent among extended families (12.4% and 4.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggested that although the prevalence of DV in Hunan was modest compared to Western countries, it remained a serious public health problem affecting over 1 in 10 households. Furthermore, the prevalence of various types of DV varied by geographic setting and family structure, suggesting that diverse geographic setting and family constellations carried different risk and protective features.