The relationship of general, physical, and psychological violence with depressive symptoms and cognition in elders (cross-sectional study).
Rafael da Costa Santos, Gleicy Karine Nascimento De Araújo-Monteiro, Matheus Farias Raposo and 3 others
PMID 37556690WHAT IT FOUND
Elders with depressive symptoms were 1.96 times more likely to suffer psychological violence and 3.00 times more likely to suffer physical violence.
Contrary to expectations, elders with less cognitive impairment reported more general violence, while those with greater impairment faced more physical abuse.
Key findings
01Elders with depressive symptoms had significantly higher odds of experiencing both psychological and physical violence compared to those without symptoms.
02There was no significant association between general violence and cognitive deficit, but elders with more cognitive impairment were more often victims of physical violence specifically.
03Violence was present in 55.1% of the interviewed elders, with prevalence increasing alongside depressive symptom scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Data was self-reported by elders, some of whom had cognitive disorders, which may affect reliability. The sample was non-probabilistic and by convenience, limiting generalizability. Confounding factors were not controlled for in the analysis. Discussing violence may be taboo for some participants, leading to underreporting.
Declared interests
Funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development and the Improvement Coordination of Higher Education Personnel.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that cognitive impairment is a universal risk factor for all elder abuse. This study found that elders with *less* cognitive impairment were more likely to report general violence, while only physical violence was associated with greater cognitive decline. Screening must consider the type of abuse, not just the patient's cognitive status.