why is child and elder abuse considered a public health issue? course hero

by Elenor Wisozk 7 min read

What is the scope of the problem of elder abuse?

Mar 03, 2021 · Violence is a central public health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that nearly 53,000 children are murdered each year and that the prevalence of forced sexual intercourse and other forms of sexual violence involving touch, among boys and girls under 18, is 73 million and 150 million respectively (WHO, 2016).

Why is child abuse and neglect a public health issue?

Jun 15, 2018 · Elder abuse is a critical social, health, and economic problem. Approximately 10 percent of adults age 60 and older have experienced physical abuse, psychological or verbal abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. Older Americans lose an estimated $2.9 billion a year as a result of financial exploitation.

How common is elder abuse in the US?

Why is elder abuse a . public health problem? Elder abuse is a serious problem in the United States. There is a lack of data, but past research found that: • In 2008, one in 10 elders reported emotional, physical, or sexual abuse or potential neglect in the past year. 1 . Many cases are not reported because elders are afraid

What are the factors that cause elder abuse?

seen as a social welfare issue and subsequently a problem of ageing, abuse of the elderly, like other forms of family violence, has developed into a public health and criminal justice concern. These two fields – public health and criminal justice – have therefore dictated to a large extent how abuse of the elderly is viewed, how it is analysed, and

Why is elder abuse an important issue?

Elder abuse also is a critical public health issue. Survivors report higher rates of depression. They often withdraw from social interactions, and many blame themselves, which results in shame and silence and magnifies these effects.May 7, 2020

Why is elder abuse an ethical issue?

Elder abuse is an example of human rights and freedom violation (5) that leads to a serious loss of human dignity, independence and respect (6), and influences ethical principles such as autonomy, competency, beneficence, and non-maleficence (10).Jun 15, 2019

What are some of the issues related to elder abuse?

Consequences. Elder abuse can have serious physical and mental health, financial, and social consequences, including, for instance, physical injuries, premature mortality, depression, cognitive decline, financial devastation and placement in nursing homes.Oct 4, 2021

Which of the following are characteristics that may describe the perpetrator of elder abuse?

Perpetrators of Elder Abuseintentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who stands in a trust relationship to the elder, or.failure by a caregiver to satisfy the elder's basic needs or to protect the elder from harm."May 16, 2009

What are the legal ethical issues for elder abuse?

In elder abuse practice, three key ethical and legal issues that may come into conflict are (1) the legal duty to report certain suspected conduct to law enforcement and/or protective services versus victim autonomy and safety; (2) the victim's right to self-determination versus protection and safety; and (3) when ...

What is the purpose of abuse?

Domestic violence and abuse are used for one purpose and one purpose only: to gain and maintain total control over you. An abuser doesn't “play fair.” An abuser uses fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down and keep you under their thumb.

What is defined as elderly abuse?

Elder abuse is an intentional act or failure to act that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older adult. An older adult is someone age 60 or older. The abuse occurs at the hands of a caregiver or a person the elder trusts.

Why are the elderly considered a vulnerable population?

Older adults are often economically vulnerable because their cost of care can exceed their income. In particular, chronic illness increases an older adult's dependency and cost of living.

What is the greatest risk factor for abuse?

Risk Factors for PerpetrationCurrent physical health problem.Past experience of disruptive behavior.Past experience of traumatic events.High levels of stress.Poor or inadequate preparation or training for caregiving responsibilities.Inadequate coping skills.Exposure to or witnessing abuse as a child.Social isolation.More items...

Why do elderly individuals who are abused?

Why do elderly individuals who are abused hesitate or refuse to report abuse? They feel like they deserve it. This is a specially trained individual who acts as an advocate for others to improve care or conditions. These are activities to help promote awareness of the time, place, and person.

Who are the main perpetrators of elder abuse?

Overall, adult children are most often the perpetrators of elder abuse, followed by other family members and spouses.

How some of the characteristics of aging may lead to elder abuse?

Victim Dependence and Caregiver Stress Elderly people become frail, difficult to care for, and sometimes demanding. These characteristics cause stress for their caregivers; as a result of this stress, the caregivers become abusive or neglectful toward the elder.

Overview

  • Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. This type of violence constitutes a violation of human rights and includes physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse; financial and material abuse; abandonment; neglect; and se…
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Scope of The Problem

  • Elder abuse is an important public health problem. A 2017 review of 52 studies in 28 countries from diverse regions estimated that over the past year 1 in 6 people (15.7%) aged 60 years and older were subjected to some form of abuse (1). Although rigorous data are limited, the review provides prevalence estimates of the proportion of older people affected by different types of ab…
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Consequences

  • Elder abuse can have serious physical and mental health, financial, and social consequences, including, for instance, physical injuries, premature mortality, depression, cognitive decline, financial devastation and placement in nursing homes. For older people, the consequences of abuse can be especially serious and recovery may take longer (4).
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Risk Factors

  • Individual level characteristics which increase the risk of becoming a victim of abuse include functional dependence/disability, poor physical health, cognitive impairment, poor mental health and low income. Individual level characteristics which increase the risk of becoming a perpetrator of abuse include mental illness, substance abuse and dependency – often financial – of the abu…
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Prevention

  • Many strategies have been tried to prevent and respond to elder abuse, but evidence for the effectiveness of most of these interventions is limited at present. Strategies considered most promising include caregiver interventions, which provide services to relieve the burden of caregiving; money management programmes for older adults vulnerable to financial exploitation…
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Who Response

  • In line with WHO’s Global strategy and action plan on ageing and health and the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), WHO and partners collaborate to prevent elder abuse through initiatives that help to identify, quantify, and respond to the problem, including: 1. synthesizing evidence on the prevalence, consequences, determinants and interventions to prevent and respo…
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