Prevalence and correlates of elder mistreatment in a community-dwelling population of U.S. Chinese older adults

J Aging Health. 2014 Oct;26(7):1209-24. doi: 10.1177/0898264314531617.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the prevalence and correlates of elder mistreatment among U.S. Chinese older adults.

Method: Data were drawn from the Population-Based Study of ChINese Elderly (PINE) study, a population-based epidemiological survey of 3,159 U.S. Chinese older adults in the Greater Chicago area. The study design was guided by a community-based participatory research approach.

Results: This study found a prevalence of 15.0% for elder mistreatment among community-dwelling Chinese older adults. In addition, higher levels of education (r = .16, p< .001), fewer children (r = .1, p< .001), lower health status (r = .11, p< .001), poorer quality of life (r = .05, p< .01), and worsening health over the past year (r = .08, p< .001) were positively correlated with any elder mistreatment.

Discussion: Elder mistreatment is prevalent among U.S. Chinese older adults. The findings point to a pressing need for researchers, community service workers, health care providers, and policy makers to increase efforts on reducing elder mistreatment in U.S. Chinese communities.

Keywords: Chinese older adults; elder mistreatment; population-based study; prevalence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Asian / statistics & numerical data*
  • Chicago / epidemiology
  • China / ethnology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Elder Abuse / ethnology*
  • Elder Abuse / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Residence Characteristics / statistics & numerical data*
  • Risk Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors