Physicians' mandatory reporting of elder abuse.
We evaluated physicians' responses to state elder abuse reporting statutes. Most statutes require reporting without providing for adequate investigation and service delivery. The Alabama Protective Services Act of 1976 is typical. Survey responses by Alabama physicians suggest that they have reservations about their ability to diagnose abuse, the operation of the law, and their willingness to report abuse. It appears that, in Alabama, mandatory reporting by itself is counterproductive because the statute fails to provide for adequate investigation and service delivery or to command knowledgeable compliance.
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Daniels
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LA
Baumhover
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Clark-Daniels
D000368:Aged; D000407:Alabama; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires