title: Elderly patient assaults: empirical data from the Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP) with risk management implications for EMS personnel.
abstract: Some elderly patients may become violent in the course of receiving health care services. This paper reviews the largely cross-sectional research on elder assaultive patients in health care settings and patient assaults, including those by the elderly, in EMS services. Data on the assault characteristics of elderly patients are presented from a 15-year, retrospective, longitudinal study of the Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP). The findings and their implications for the delivery of health care services are discussed and a detailed series of risk management strategies to reduce assaults in EMS services are presented.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, Worcester State Hospital, MA 01604, USA.
authors.forename: Raymond B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Flannery
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Georgina J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Flannery
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012308:Risk Management; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control