The National Elder Mistreatment Study: Race and Ethnicity Findings

Abstract

The prevalence of elder mistreatment with respect to race and ethnicity was examined in an unweighted sample of 5,777 participants (5,776 participants in weighted sample). Random Digit Dialing methodology was used to select a representative sample of community-dwelling older adults, and the survey was available in English and Spanish. Mistreatment types included emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Race- and ethnicity-based differences were largely absent, and the only observed increase was for physical mistreatment among non-White older adults; however, this association was not sustained in multivariate analyses controlling for income, health status, and social support. Findings are in contrast to prior reports of increased risk of mistreatment in minority populations and point to correlated and modifiable factors of social support and poor health as targets for preventive intervention.

Keywords:

• elder mistreatment
• race
• ethnicity
• sexual abuse
• physical abuse

Acknowledgments

This study was supported primarily by a grant from the National Institute of Justice (#2007-WG-BX-0009) as well as a grant from the National Institute on Aging (R21AG030667).

Notes

The Human Subjects Internal Review Board of the Medical University of South Carolina approved this research project.