Objective: This study was to estimate the prevalence of elderly mistreatment (EM) in rural community and to examine the association between social support and the risk of the EM.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed in three rural communities (17 villages) in Macheng city of Hubei province. 2000 subjects aged 60 years or older were selected using cluster sampling. Questionnaire being developed would include general information, a scale to measure social support, and a modified vulnerability on abuse screening scale (VASS) to measure the EM.
Results: The prevalence rates of EM, physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and financial exploitation for rural elderly people in Macheng city were 36.2%, 4.9%, 27.3%, 15.8%, and 2.0% respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, necessary practical support from family (OR = 1.28, 95%CI: 1.01 - 1.63) was the risk factor causing EM while having got practical support (OR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.58 - 0.98) or moral support (OR = 0.63, 95%CI: 0.49 - 0.82) from family and moral support from friends (OR = 0.73, 95%CI: 0.59 - 0.90) when in need were the protective factors. The protective factors on physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and financial exploitation would include: getting practical support from family when in need (OR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.35 - 0.99), getting moral support from family (OR = 0.67, 95%CI: 0.51 - 0.89) and friends (OR = 0.67, 95%CI: 0.54 - 0.84) and getting practical support from family when in need (OR = 0.63, 95%CI: 0.45 - 0.88), getting practical support from family (OR = 0.38, 95%CI: 0.14 - 0.98) and getting moral support from friends when in need (OR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.20 - 0.87), respectively.
Conclusion: High prevalence of EM was seen in the rural areas of Macheng city. Social support was an important protective factor for EM in this population.