STUDY OF SELECTED ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH NON-INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS WHERE THERE IS ABUSE OR NEGLECT OF THE ELDERLY (NURSING).
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 142
Subjects: Gerontology.
Description: A study was conducted to examine abuse and neglect of the elderly. The purpose of the study was to investigate selected environmental variables associated with abuse or neglect of the elderly in non-institutional settings. The environmental variables considered included physical, psychosocial and financial variables as well as the health status of the abused and the abuser.

Abuse of the elderly is a recently recognized phenomenon with similarities to spouse and child ause. The relatively new recognition of elder abuse has limited the amount of research that has been done in the area. Earlier studies have identified the nature of the problem, the characteristics of the abused and the response of professionals to the problem. Additional research was needed to substantiate previous findings and to identify the environment of abuse. This study explored the environment of abuse. Documentation of the environment of elder abuse will contribute to identification of the problem and potential prevention. For nurses, this research will assist in case-finding as well as prevention and intervention.

This particular study reviewed forty-five case reports identified as abuse or neglect and involving a person sixty-five years of age or older. The cases came from a social service agency in the southwestern United States. The cases were reviewed for demographic data of the abused and the abuser and selected characteristics of the environment. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation and Chi-square.

The findings revealed the most frequently abused person was a widowed female in her seventies with health related dependency needs. The most common types of abuse were neglect and self-neglect. The least common were physical abuse and violation of rights. The abuser was most often a relative with no formal support system. Statistically significant relationships were revealed for physical, psychosocial and health related environmental variables when crosstabulated with type of abuse.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-07, Section: A, page: 2221.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1984.

School code: 0227.