PLoS ONE (Jan 2022)

Elder abuse and hospitalization in rural Malaysia.

  • Muhammad Abbas M Firdaus,
  • Raudah Mohd Yunus,
  • Noran Naqiah Hairi,
  • Wan Yuen Choo,
  • Farizah Hairi,
  • Leny Suzana Suddin,
  • Rajini Sooryanarayana,
  • Norliana Ismail,
  • Devi Peramalah,
  • Zainudin M Ali,
  • Sharifah N Ahmad,
  • Inayah A Razak,
  • Sajaratulnisah Othman,
  • Awang Bulgiba

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0270163
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 6
p. e0270163

Abstract

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Our study aims to describe and determine factors associated with hospitalization among victims of elder abuse and neglect (EAN) in rural Malaysia. A cross sectional study based on the baseline data of the Malaysian Elder Mistreatment Project (MAESTRO) collected from November 2013 until July 2014 involving 1927 older adults in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan was conducted. EAN was determined using the modified Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) and hospitalization rates were determined based on self-report. The prevalence of overall EAN was 8.1% (95%CI 6.9-9.3). Among male respondents, 9.5% revealed history of abuse and among female respondents, 7.2% reported experiencing EAN. The annual hospitalization rates per 100 persons within the past one year among EAN victims and non-victims were 18 per 100 persons (SD = 46.1) and 15 per 100 persons (SD = 64.1) respectively. Among respondents with history of EAN, 16.0% (n = 21) had been hospitalized in the past 12 months while among respondents with no EAN experience, 10.2% (n = 153) were hospitalized. Multivariable analyses using Poisson regression did not show any significant association between EAN and hospitalization. This could be due to the complex interactions between medical and social circumstances that play a role in hospital admissions, factors affecting the health care system, and access to health care among EAN victims.