The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #67131

Michael Rodriguez, MD, MPH, Department of Family Medicine, UCLA, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 650, Los Angeles, CA 90095, (310)794-0394, mrodriguez@mednet.ucla.edu

Elder abuse (EA) is a significant problem that affects millions of U.S. elders each year and is associated with a myriad of physical and mental health problems. Few studies provide insight into how physicians feel about the assessment and treatment of EA. The study reports results of individual interviews conducted with primary care physicians who spend at least 50% of their time providing care for community-dwelling elders from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The interviews focus on factors that influence effective EA identification, assessment and treatment. Factors including cultural and social influences that impact the effectiveness of EA health care interventions are explored. Qualitative data analysis supported by computer assisted qualitative data analysis software, inform development of models to understand the factors that influence the identification and care of elders at risk for EA. These findings further a research program to inform the development of health care based elder abuse interventions for primary care settings that serve diverse populations.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this presentation, participants will:
• recognize obstacles to identifying Elder Abuse in clinical settings;
• identify strategies for addressing elder abuse in clinical settings and
• discuss recommendations for enhancing current health care interventions for elder abuse.

Keywords: Violence Prevention, Elderly

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.