Mental Health Consequences and Service Use of Older Adults at Risk of Financial Exploitation.

PILOT projects; STATISTICS; SOCIAL support; CONFIDENCE intervals; CROSS-sectional method; RESEARCH methodology; SELF-evaluation; MULTIVARIATE analysis; MULTIPLE regression analysis; MENTAL health; INTERVIEWING; MEDICAL care use; EXPERIENCE; SEVERITY of illness index; ABUSE of older people; MENTAL depression; QUESTIONNAIRES; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; FINANCIAL management; METROPOLITAN areas; WOUNDS & injuries; CLASSIFICATION of mental disorders; DATA analysis software; STATISTICAL correlation; MEDICAID; LOGISTIC regression analysis; ODDS ratio; NEEDS assessment; MENTAL health services

This study examines whether the experience of financial exploitation is associated with increased likelihood of mental health consequences and subsequent use of mental health services. Interviews were conducted with 99 participants, age 60 and older, at risk for elder abuse. The authors and research team administered standardized measures of elder mistreatment, depression, trauma, social support, and service use. Older adults who experienced financial exploitation reported worse trauma symptoms and depression than those who did not experience financial exploitation. Those with increased functional impairment were least likely to rely on mental health services. The findings highlight the importance of interventions to address and enhance response to depression, trauma, and social support in older adults who are victims of financial exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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