Types and Factors Associated of Elder Abuse and Neglect: A Scoping Review of the Evidence
Keywords:
elder abuse, risk factors, types of abuse;, scoping review.Abstract
Elder abuse is a significant but under-recognised public health problem worldwide, with profound consequences for the health, well-being, and human rights of older adults. Understanding the types and associated factors of elder abuse is essential for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies. This scoping review aimed to map the available evidence on the types of elder abuse and the factors associated with its occurrence, with particular attention to global patterns and regional variations. This scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Ten key studies published between 2015-2024 were synthesised, including primary research from India, Nigeria, Switzerland, Turkey, Ghana, Korea, and systematic reviews from Iran and Brazil. Elder abuse manifests in multiple forms including psychological, physical, financial abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse. Psychological abuse consistently emerged as the most common type globally, followed by neglect or financial abuse depending on the setting. Prevalence estimates ranged widely from 9.9% to 81.8%. Associated factors operated at multiple levels: individual (age, gender, functional dependency, depression), relationship (caregiver stress, family dynamics, cohabitation), community (social isolation, rural residence), and societal (poverty, cultural norms, policy gaps). Notable gaps exist in research from Africa and in understanding gender-specific correlates. Elder abuse is a multifactorial phenomenon requiring comprehensive ecological approaches for prevention and intervention. Priorities include developing culturally appropriate screening tools, strengthening healthcare provider training, enacting protective legislation, and addressing structural determinants such as poverty and social isolation.
References
1. Scott RB, Christopher R, Carpenter M, Tony R, Phyllis S, Richard G. Screening and detection of elder abuse: research opportunities and lessons learned from emergency geriatric care, intimate partner violence, and child abuse. J Elder Abuse Negl. 2016;28(4-5):234-55.
2. World Health Organization. World report on ageing and health. Geneva: WHO; 2015.
3. Stodolska A, Parnicka A, Tobiasz-Adamczyk B, Grodzicki T. Exploring elder neglect: new theoretical perspectives and diagnostic challenges. Gerontologist. 2019; 20:1-11.
4. World Health Organization. Abuse of older people [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2022 [cited 2025 Mar 30]. Available from: https://www.who.int/newsroom/fact-sheets/detail/elder-abuse
5. Sembiah S, Dasgupta A, Taklikar CS, Paul B, Bandyopadhyay L, Burman J. Elder abuse and its predictors: a cross-sectional study in a rural area of West Bengal, eastern part of India. Psychogeriatrics. 2020;20(5):636-44.
6. Ryan J, Roman NV. Family-centred interventions for elder abuse: a narrative review. J Cross Cult Gerontol. 2019;34(3):325-40.
7. Amos AJ. Analysis of forms and determinants of abuse of elder in six selected communities in Kaduna State, Nigeria. KIU J Soc Sci. 2019;5(1):239-50.
8. Mbam KC, Halvorsen CJ, Okoye UO. Aging in Nigeria: a growing population of older adults requires the implementation of national aging policies. Gerontologist. 2022;62(9):1243-50.
9. Arab-zozani M, Mostafazadeh N, Arab-zozani Z, Ghoddoosi-Nejad D, Hassanipour S, Soares JJ. The prevalence of elder abuse and neglect in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Elder Abuse Negl. 2018;30(5):361-78. 10.
10. Baker PR, Francis DP, Hairi NN, Othman S, Choo WY. Interventions for preventing abuse in the elderly. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;(8):CD010321.
11. Yon Y, Mikton CR, Gassoumis ZD, Wilber KH. Elder abuse prevalence in community settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2017;5: e147-56.
12. Storey JE. Risk factors for elder abuse and neglect: a review of the literature. Aggress Violent Behav. 2020; 50:101339.
13. Anand A. Exploring the role of socioeconomic factors in abuse and neglect of elderly population in Maharashtra, India. J Geriatr Ment Health. 2016; 3:150-7.
14. Cevik C, Ozdemir R, Koran N, Agın A. Prevalence and risk factors for elder abuse: a community-based cross-sectional study from North West Turkey. Curr Psychol. 2021; 41:4567-76.
15. Dos Santos MA, Moreira RS, Faccio PF, Gomes GC, Silva VL. Factors associated with elder abuse: a systematic review of the literature. Cien Saude Colet. 2020;25(6):2153-75.
16. Van Den Bruele AB, Dimachk M, Crandall M. Elder abuse. Clin Geriatr Med. 2019; 35:103-13.
17. Roberto KA, McCann BR, Blieszner R. Trajectories of care: providing care to a relative with dementia. J Fam Issues. 2013;34(9):1198-220.
18. Bronfenbrenner U. The ecology of human development: experiments by nature and design. Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 1979.
19. Homans GC. Social behavior as exchange. Am J Sociol. 1958;63(6):597-606.
20. Arksey H, O'Malley L. Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005;8(1):19-32.
21. Olasupo MG, Olasupo MO, Fagbenro DA. Social support, socio demographic factors and elder abuse: a quantitative study in Osun, Nigeria. Psychocentrum Rev. 2020;2(1):1-12.
22. Simone L, Albert W, Oliver S, Thomas R, Hasler S. Types of abuse and risk factors associated with elder abuse. Swiss Med Wkly. 2016;146: w14273.
23. Danyoh JD, Dampson DG, Dzakadzie Y. Abuse or disabuse: coping with elderly abuse in the Asaiman municipality, Ghana. Eur J Res Reflect Educ Sci. 2018;6(4):1-12.
24. Gyeong-Suk J, Cho S, Choi K, Kwang-Sim J. Gender differences in the prevalence and correlates of elder abuse in a community-dwelling older population in Korea. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(100):1-13.
25. Oluoha RU, Obionu CN, Uwakwe KA, Diwe KC, Duru CB, Merenu IA, et al. Assessing the prevalence and patterns of elder's abuse in Imo State, Nigeria: a rural–urban comparative study. J Adv Med Pharm Sci. 2017;13(2):1-11.
26. Wang XM, Brisbin S, Loo T, Straus S. Elder abuse: an approach to identification, assessment and intervention. CMAJ. 2015; 187:575-81.
27. Tony R, Hargarten S, Flomenbaum NE, Platts-Mills TF. Identifying elder abuse in the emergency department: toward a multidisciplinary team-based approach. Ann Emerg Med. 2016;68(3):378-82.
