Clinical recognition of elder maltreatment and intention to report among primary care doctors

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to determine the primary care doctors’ ability to recognize elder maltreatment and their intentions to report on such conditions. About 358 primary care doctors participated in this study. Outcomes were assessed using a validated five context-relevant clinical vignettes. Primary care doctor’s recognition of sexual abuse was highest (91.0%); while the lowest (70.2%) in case signifying physical abuse. Despite being able to ascertain elder maltreatment, the intention to report the event is generally low even for cases exemplifying physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. However, intentions to report cases of sexual and financial abuse are 86.9% and 73.5% respectively. Findings highlighted the uncertainties of primary care doctors in distinguishing the clinical findings of non-accidental injuries and injuries due to acts of maltreatment. This provides support for educational intervention and guidelines or policies to improve the knowledge and skills of primary care doctors to intervene in elder maltreatment.

KEYWORDS:

• Primary care doctor
• elder maltreatment
• recognition
• reporting
• vignette

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all the participants from the Negeri Sembilan State Health Department, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Penang State Health Department, Ministry of Health and all the participants involved in this study.

Ethical approval

University Medical Centre Ethic Committee (MED ID 201401-0686) and the Malaysian Ministry of Health National Medical Research Register (NMRR-13-1456-16443).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by Grand Challenge Grant, University Malaya [Reference no: GC001C_14HTM].