Elder Abuse Survivor Equity (EASE) Study: National Longitudinal Trajectories and Translation for Practitioners and the Public

The Elder Abuse Survivor Equity (EASE) Study aims to study the experiences of a diverse population of older adults – including representative samples of racial and ethnic groups, sexual and gender minority populations, and geographically diverse populations – in terms of their exposure to elder abuse and polyvictimization, inclusive of in-person and technology-facilitated abuse. This is the first study to shed light on equity considerations of polyvictimization experiences among underrepresented and understudied older adults. EASE has four main objectives: (1) develop instrumentation and research protocols to measure (poly)victimization in later life; (2) test instrument and protocol quality through cognitive interviews with persons with lived experience of elder (poly)victimization and psychometric testing of pilot data from a convenience sample; (3) collect three waves of longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of adults age 60+; and (4) develop and disseminate action-oriented research products to share results with practitioners and the public (i.e., older adults, family members, and caregivers). The study design and approach will involve an Advisory Board representing eight organizations—UTHealth, AARP, NAPSA, NCALL, NCVC, NNEDV, SAGE, and Stonewall CDC—and voices of Americans ages 60+ with lived experience of abuse to ensure that the survey instrument and dissemination products developed from this research are culturally informed and constructive for a wide range of audiences. First, in-depth interviews will be conducted with elder (poly)victimization survivors to elicit input on the constructs and measures to be included in our longitudinal survey and to discuss methods to maximize study retention for participants who may face challenges independently participating in a longitudinal study. Subsequently, findings from the interviews will be reviewed with the Advisory Board to identify elements to reflect in the instrument. Before launching the survey, we will refine the instrument through cognitive interviews and psychometric testing. Once the instruments are finalized, three waves of data collection will be conducted using the AmeriSpeak Panel, recruiting a sample of adults 60+ and oversampling for historically marginalized communities (i.e., Black, Asian, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, and individuals from rural areas). We will use key findings from each wave of data collection and key informant interviews with organizations identified from an environmental scan to develop products that meet the needs of practitioners, advocates, and the public, drawing upon input from the Advisory Board and survivors. This research-to-practice approach will advance understanding of elder abuse and strengthen policies, procedures, and services to support healthy aging and prevent elder abuse. CA/NCF