Evaluation of frailty, abuse and depression among community-dwelling older adults in a nortwest city of Turkey.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the frailty, abuse, and depression experienced by community-dwelling older adults and to raise awareness in society about the abuse of the elderly.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out in three family health centres in a city centre in the northwest of Turkey. The sample consisted of 429 older adults. Data were collected with Descriptive form, FRAIL Scale, Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test, and the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form. In data analysis, percentage, mean ± SD, t-test, analysis of variance, Tukey test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis were used. The significance level in the tests was taken as P < 0.05.

RESULTS

In this study, 28.68% of the elderly were in the fragile group, 22.84% experienced abuse and 24.0% were depressed. The elders who participated in the study were evaluated according to the scale scores used. It was determined that they were in the fragile group with a score of 2.21 + 1.47; they were exposed to low level of abuse with 1.58 + 1.17 points and they were depressed with 5.15 + 4.82 points. There was a high and positive significant correlation between the frailty and abuse experienced by the elderly (P < 0.001; r: 0.621), there was a middle and positive significant correlation between frailty and depression (P < 0.001; r: 0.492), and high and positive correlation were found between abuse and depression in the elderly (P < 0.001; r: 0.647).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that frailty, abuse, and depression are important problems in community-dwelling older adults and there are significant relationships between them. In order to prevent the abuse that the elderly in the fragile group are exposed to, it is recommended that especially health workers should be trained on elder abuse in in-service training programs.