EPP414 - Frailty and Elder Abuse Among Older Adults in Outpatient Settings in Nigeria: A Case-Control Study

EPP414

Frailty and Elder Abuse Among Older Adults in Outpatient Settings in Nigeria: A Case-Control Study

E. L. Allagoa ^{1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4,*}, C. G. Piwuna ³, U. Mariere ², S. Reuben ⁵

¹Department of Psychiatry, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom, ²Department of Public Health, Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, Yenagoa, ³Department of Psychiatry, Jos University Teaching Hospital Jos, Jos, Nigeria, ⁴Adult CMHT Preston, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, Preston, United Kingdom, ⁵Department of pathology, St George University, True Blue, Grenada

 

Introduction: Background

Frailty and elder abuse are growing concerns among older adults, especially in low-resource settings like Nigeria. Frailty may increase vulnerability to abuse, yet evidence from outpatient psychiatric and general medical settings remains limited (Dong, 2015; Yon et al., 2017; Torres-Castro et al., 2018).

Objectives:  

To assess and compare the prevalence of elder abuse and frailty among older adults in General Outpatient (GOPD) and Psychiatric Clinics in a Nigerian teaching hospital, Jos University teaching Hospital, Jos and to explore associations with sociodemographic factors.

Methods:  

A case-control study of 140 adults aged ≥50 years (75 GOPD, 65 Psychiatry). Elder abuse, frailty, and sociodemographic data were collected using structured questionnaires. Analyses included chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests (Fulmer et al., 2005; Cooper et al., 2009; Bouillon et al., 2013), with significance at p < 0.05.

 

 

 

Results:  

Psychiatric patients were significantly older (p = 0.015) and more often female (p = 0.005). Overall elder abuse prevalence was high (69.3%), significantly greater in psychiatric outpatients (78.5%) than GOPD (61.3%; p = 0.028). Psychological, neglect, and financial abuse were particularly elevated in psychiatric patients (Dong et al., 2013; Santos et al., 2019). Frailty severity showed no significant difference between groups, and no association with abuse was identified (Shamliyan et al., 2013; Torres-Castro et al., 2018).

 

able 1 Overral Elder Abuse  Prevalence

Group         Elder Abuse %  No abuse %

GOPD        61.3                   38.7

Psychiatry  78.5                   21.5

 

Table 2 Types of elderly abuse

Type of abuse GOPD % Psychiatry %

Psychological 50.7          69.2

Neglect         14.7             46.2

Financial       33.3           55.4

Physical        21.3           33.8

sexual           6.7             13.8

 

Median Frailty Score

GOPD 2.0

Psychiatry 2.0

Conclusions:  

Elder abuse is highly prevalent in Nigerian outpatient settings, particularly among psychiatric patients. Frailty was not independently associated with abuse, but their co-occurrence highlights the need for integrated screening and culturally adapted interventions in routine care (Yon et al., 2017; Bouillon et al., 2013).

 

Keywords: Elder abuse; Frailty; Psychiatry; General Outpatients; Jos; Nigeria

 

 

 

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared