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Elder Abuse and neglect: Promising Avenues for Policy Makers Based on an International State of Knowledge and a Scoping Review of Research, Practice and Policy Documents Produced in the WHO WPR Countries

PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER:

Marie Beaulieu, Ph. D., University of Sherbrooke

RESEARCH TEAM:

N.a.

CHAIR PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT:

Julien Cadieux Genesse, Assistant Coordinator and Research Agent

GRANTING AGENCY AND GRANT AMOUNT:

World Health Organization (WHO);

Units: Equity and Social Determinants and Violence and Injury Prevention;

Division: Health Systems and Non-Communicable Diseases and Health through the Life-course;

Budget: USD $18,000

PROJECT COMPLETION DATES:

January 3 2018 to November 1st 2018

ROLE OF CHAIR IN THE PROJECT:

Project leader

RESEARCH PROBLEM:

Mistreatment of older adults, defined as “a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which cases harm or distress to an older person” has significant and lasting consequences for older people including physical and psychological harm and an increased likelihood of hospitalization or placement in institutional long-term care.

As described in the World Report on Ageing and Health (WHO), the mistreatment of older adults takes many forms, including: physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, financial and material, institutional, violation of rights and neglect.

It is estimated that one in six older people, and two thirds of people with dementia, may experience this kind of mistreatment with only four percent being reported. The cost of mistreatment is estimated to be USD $5.3 billion per year.  This figure only represents the medical costs from violent injuries suffered by older adults.

Despite the widespread prevalence of mistreatment of older adults and the extensive related personal and societal costs, it remains a neglected public health priority in many countries.

GOAL OF THE PROJECT OR RESEARCH QUESTION:

Principal question: What is the state of knowledge and practice on the mistreatment of older adults and neglect in the WHO Western Pacific region countries?

Sub-question: Based on a summary of knowledge developed by the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults in recent years, how can knowledge acquired on mistreatment and neglect in different countries of the world inform and guide policy makers in the WHO Western Pacific region countries?

OBJECTIVES:

Document what responses have been implemented to prevent and respond to mistreatment of older adults (including at different levels such as individual, community, organizational, systems and government levels) and what are the key features of these responses?

MEHODOLOGY:

Scoping Review

Presentation of the research criteria:

  1. Identifying the research question

– See “Goal of the project or research question” in the previous section

  1. Identifying relevant documents;

– The documents have been listed using two strategies. Firstly, we did a search in electronic databases. Secondly, a Google search was made by using the name of each of the 27 WHO Western Pacific region countries and “elder abuse policy” and “elder abuse law”.

  1. Studying the selection

– To be selected, the writings not only have to meet the research criteria set out in Stage 2, that is to be written scientific or grey literature published in English between 2007 and 2018, but also to explicitly address the topic of mistreatment of older adults (or a synonymous term) either in the title or in the abstract. Texts which did not meet these criteria have been excluded. By the end of the project, over 30 documents will have been analyzed and incorporated in the report.

  1. Charting the data

– A structured reading grid was developed in January, 2018. The themes covered are: definition, vocabulary, prevalence, risk factors, protection factors, consequences, public policies, challenges in the practice (primary prevention, detection and intervention), recommendations in the practice, the research and public policies on the matter of countering mistreatment.

  1. Collating, summarizing and reporting the results

– The data collected for the WHO Western Pacific region countries will be discussed based on international literature that has already been collected by the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults and this for each sections of the final report that will be given to the WHO.

PROJECT ADVANCEMENT:

The final report was given on November 1st of 2018.

COMMUNICATIONS:

Beaulieu, M. & Cadieux Genesse, J. (Novembre 2018). Elder Abuse and Neglect: Promising Avenues for Policy Makers Based on an International State of Knowledge and a Scoping Review of Research, Practice and Policy Documents Produced in the WHO WPR Countries. Report presented to the WHO Western Pacific Region. 82 p.

Beaulieu, M. & Cadieux Genesse, J. (March 31st, 2018). Prevalence, Impact and Responses to Elder Abuse and Neglect in the WHO Western Pacific Region: A Scoping review. Second draft Report presented to the WHO Western Pacific Region.

Beaulieu, M. & Cadieux Genesse, J. (March 9th 2018). Prevalence, Impact and Responses to Elder Abuse and Neglect in the WHO Western Pacific Region: A Scoping review. Draft Report presented to the WHO Western Pacific Region.

PUBLICATIONS:

Beaulieu, M., & Cadieux-Genesse, J. (Novembre 2018). Elder Abuse and neglect: Promising Avenues for Policy Makers Based on an International State of Knowledge and a Scoping Review of Research, Practice and Policy Documents Produced in the WHO WPR Countries. Report presented to the WHO Western Pacific Region. 76 p.