Mental Health Outcomes Associated with Elder Abuse: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined quantitative studies of elder abuse and DSM-5-defined mental health outcomes in adults aged 60 years or older. It included 23 studies and 73 effect sizes. Older adults who experienced abuse had higher odds of adverse mental health outcomes than those who did not (pooled OR = 2.524, 95% CI [2.300, 2.769]). Associations were also reported for depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and sleep problems. Publication bias was detected, although trim-and-fill adjustments reduced effect estimates without changing the authors’ assessment of robustness.

Key findings

• Elder abuse was associated with higher odds of adverse mental health outcomes overall (pooled OR = 2.524, 95% CI [2.300, 2.769]).
• Associations were reported for depression (OR = 2.833 [2.419, 3.319]), anxiety (OR = 2.495 [2.000, 3.113]), suicidal ideation (OR = 2.249 [1.827, 2.769]), and sleep problems (OR = 2.368 [1.827, 3.070]).
• After trim-and-fill adjustment, the overall estimate was OR = 2.197; adjusted estimates were OR = 2.094 for depression and OR = 1.732 for sleep problems.

Why it matters

The pooled findings indicate that elder abuse is associated with substantially greater odds of several clinically important mental health outcomes. Recognising this relationship can inform assessment of older adults’ wellbeing and support attention to abuse prevention and response. The evidence also highlights the need for further research in institutional settings, which were underrepresented in the included studies.

What to keep in mind

Evidence was limited for institutional settings, so findings are primarily generalizable to community-dwelling older adults. Publication bias was present, and anxiety moderator analyses warrant caution because of covariance among study-level factors.