Mental Health Correlates of Financial Mistreatment in the National Elder Mistreatment Study Wave II

• NCJ Number: 253117
• Author(s): Ron Acierno; Jordan Watkins; Melba A. Hernandez-tejada; Wendy Muzzy; Gabrielle Frook; Mara Steedley; Georgia Anetzberger
• Date Published: 2018
• Length: 10 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2014-MU-CX-003
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description

Annotation

Although the prevalence of elder financial mistreatment has received increased attention over the past decade, health and mental health correlates of financial mistreatment are rarely studied, so the current study examined the potential relevance of financial abuse of elderly victims to their mental health.

Abstract

The second wave of the National Elder Mistreatment Study used random digit dialing telephone survey methodology to assess both recent financial mistreatment and its potential mental health correlates (i.e., diagnoses of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], generalized anxiety disorder [GAD], and self-ratings of physical health) in 774 older adults. The study found that past-year Wave II financial mistreatment was associated with significantly increased likelihood of depression, PTSD, GAD, and poor self-rated health; and financial mistreatment perpetrated by family members was associated with particularly increased risk of depression. The study concludes that the assessment of mental health is relevant and important in cases of financial abuse. (publisher abstract modified)