The Effectiveness of Educational Programs to Improve Recognition and Reporting of Elder Abuse and Neglect: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Health professionals often lack adequate protocols or knowledge to detect, manage, and prevent elder maltreatment. This systematic review describes and evaluates existing literature on the effectiveness of educational interventions to improve health professionals' recognition and reporting of elder abuse and neglect. Fourteen articles described 22 programs ranging from brief didactics to experiential learning and targeted a variety of health and social service audiences. Most evaluations were limited to satisfaction measures. These programs may result in increased awareness, collaboration, and improved case finding. However, using the published literature to guide new program planning is constrained by lack of details and limited evaluations.

Keywords:

• elder abuse
• maltreatment
• neglect
• systematic review
• education

Acknowledgments

This project was funded in part by a training grant from the National Institute on Aging T35-AG029703 and by the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program, a component of the Advancing Healthier Wisconsin endowment, in collaboration with the Milwaukee County Department on Aging.