title: The high prevalence of depression and dementia in elder abuse or neglect.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risk factors for mistreatment of older people include age, race, low income, functional or cognitive impairment, a history of violence, and recent stressful events. There is little information in the literature concerning the clinical profile of mistreated older people.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the characteristics of abused or neglected patients and to compare the prevalence of depression and dementia in neglected patients with that of patients referred for other reasons.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baylor College of Medicine Geriatrics Clinic at the Harris County Hospital District (Houston, Texas).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven older persons referred for neglect and 97 referred for other reasons.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comprehensive geriatric assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standard geriatric assessment tools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant higher prevalence of depression (62% vs 12%) and dementia (51% vs 30%) in victims of self-neglect compared to patients referred for other reasons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first primary data study that highlights a high prevalence of depression as well as dementia in mistreated older people. Geriatric clinicians should rule out elder neglect or abuse in their depressed or demented patients.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Pavlik
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hyman
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013781:Texas; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American