title: Screening elders in the emergency department at risk for mistreatment: a pilot study.
abstract: Impaired functional status is associated with risk of elder mistreatment. Screening for functional impairment in elderly patients admitted to emergency departments could be performed to identify patients at risk for elder mistreatment who might benefit from further evaluation. This study utilized a modified Identification of Seniors at Risk (ISAR) screening tool to identify the proportion of elderly at risk for mistreatment due to functional difficulties presenting to two emergency departments in southeastern Virginia, one urban, the other rural. Of a 180-patient cohort (90 per site), 82 screened positive (46%), ISAR > 2 (range 0-6), indicating nearly half of all patients enrolled are at risk for mistreatment. Patients presenting to the urban emergency departments were potentially more at risk than their rural counterparts (p < 0.01). Health care professionals, particularly in urban settings, should consider screening seniors with a simple tool to identify patients at risk of elder mistreatment.
authors.affiliation: a Eastern Virginia Medical School , Norfolk , Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Eulitt
authors.forename: Ryan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Tomberg
authors.forename: Tina D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Francis L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Counselman
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014768:Virginia
keywords: health outcomes; population density; screening