Mental Health Outcomes Associated with Elder Abuse
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19521938 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Boye Fang (0000-0001-7907-5715), Weiyan Ye (0009-0002-1957-5659), Qi Zhang (0009-0000-5229-2496), Elsie Yan (0000-0002-0604-6259) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-27 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Trauma Violence & Abuse (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1524-8380 • E-ISSN: 1552-8324 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/15248380251383932 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 83 |
Despite consistent evidence linking elder abuse to adverse mental health outcomes, quantitative estimates remain limited. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis focusing on the negative mental health consequences associated with elder abuse. A comprehensive search was performed across Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus for peer-reviewed quantitative studies examining elder abuse as an independent variable and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)-defined mental health outcomes among adults aged ≥60, published up to January 2024. A total of 23 studies comprising 73 effect sizes that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. The meta-analyses revealed that older adults who experienced abuse were at a significantly higher risk of adverse mental health outcomes, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 2.524 (95% CI [2.300, 2.769]), including 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]). Despite evidence of publication bias, trim-and-fill adjustments moderately reduced effect sizes (overall: adjusted OR = 2.197; depression: adjusted OR = 2.094, sleep problems: adjusted OR = 1.732) without affecting robustness. Sensitivity analyses confirmed that results were stable after removing individual studies. Findings are primarily generalizable to community-dwelling older adults due to limited institutional data. Moderator analyses for anxiety outcomes should be interpreted with caution, given covariance among study-level factors. This is the first quantitative synthesis of elder abuse and mental health outcomes, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and policies to mitigate these risks
Difficult
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The Mortality of Elder Mistreatment
Assessing heterogeneity in meta-analysis
Elder Abuse
Elder abuse prevalence in community settings
The PRISMA 2020 statement
Elder Abuse
Conducting quantitative synthesis when comparing medical interventions
Panethnic Differences in Blood Pressure in Europe
Are healthcare workers’ intentions to vaccinate related to their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes? a systematic review
Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults
Health consequences of intimate partner violence
Abuse of Older Persons With Dementia
Help-Seeking Behavior in Victims of Elder Abuse
Unmasking the Struggle
Consequences of Elder Abuse and Neglect
A narrative review
Childhood Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Effects on Social-Emotional Competence
Mental Health Correlates of Financial Mistreatment in the National Elder Mistreatment Study Wave II
Re-experiencing Violence Across the Life Course
Childhood Adversities, Midlife Health, and Elder Abuse Victimization
Perceived Support Protects Against Negative Affective Experiences of Momentary Solitude
Concurrent and lagged associations of social participation and frailty among older adults
Prevalence and Correlates of Emotional, Physical, Sexual, and Financial Abuse and Potential Neglect in the United States
Evaluation of a Spiritually Focused Intervention with Older Trauma Survivors
The complexities of elder abuse
Elder abuse and cognitive function among community-Dwelling older adults
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |