Bringing Advances in Elder Abuse Research Methodology and Theory to Evaluation of Interventions.

TitleBringing Advances in Elder Abuse Research Methodology and Theory to Evaluation of Interventions.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsLachs M, Mosqueda L, Rosen T, Pillemer K
JournalJ Appl Gerontol
Volume40
Issue11
Pagination1437-1446
Date Published2021 Nov
ISSN1552-4523
KeywordsAged, Elder Abuse, Humans, Nursing Homes, Research Design, Risk Factors
Abstract

The elder abuse field needs high-quality intervention research to assess the best strategies to combat the problem, but few such studies exist. Significant advances have been made in elder abuse research methodology, measurement, justice theory, and other relevant areas, which may remedy this gap. Particular advances include the use of elder abuse severity measures and goal attainment scaling, and the application of restorative justice theory to intervention. Elder abuse research also may benefit from advances in biomedical clinical trial methodology, including characterizing and following up with subjects excluded from trials or those who drop out, estimating numbers needed to treat to assess cost-effectiveness, and a priori stopping rules for when an intervention proves quickly beneficial or harmful. In this article, we argue these advances can and should inform elder abuse intervention research, propose a theoretical framework to guide such efforts, and demonstrate how this framework can inform practice, using elder abuse multidisciplinary teams and nursing home shelters as examples.

DOI10.1177/0733464821992182
Alternate JournalJ Appl Gerontol
PubMed ID33586494
PubMed Central IDPMC8362821
Grant ListK76 AG054866 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P30 AG022845 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States