OBJECTIVES: To describe statewide emergency medical service (EMS) protocols relating to identification, management, and reporting of elder abuse in the prehospital setting. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: Statewide EMS protocols in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Publicly available statewide EMS protocols identified from published literature, http://EMSprotocols.org, and each state's public health website. MEASUREMENTS: Protocols were reviewed to determine whether elder abuse was mentioned, elder abuse was defined, potential indicators of elder abuse were listed, management of older adults experiencing abuse was described, and instructions regarding reporting were provided. EMS protocols for child abuse were reviewed in the same manner for the purpose of comparison. RESULTS: Of the 35 publicly available statewide EMS protocols, only 14 (40.0%) mention elder abuse. Of protocols that mention elder abuse, 6 (42.9%) define elder abuse, 10 (71.4%) describe indicators of elder abuse, 8 (57.1%) provide instruction regarding management, and 12 (85.7%) provide instruction regarding reporting. Almost twice as many states met each of these metrics for child abuse. CONCLUSION: Statewide EMS protocols for elder abuse vary in regard to identification, management, and reporting, with the majority of states having no content on this subject. Expansion and standardization of protocols may increase the identification of elder abuse.
OBJECTIVES: To describe statewide emergency medical service (EMS) protocols relating to identification, management, and reporting of elder abuse in the prehospital setting. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: Statewide EMS protocols in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Publicly available statewide EMS protocols identified from published literature, http://EMSprotocols.org, and each state's public health website. MEASUREMENTS: Protocols were reviewed to determine whether elder abuse was mentioned, elder abuse was defined, potential indicators of elder abuse were listed, management of older adults experiencing abuse was described, and instructions regarding reporting were provided. EMS protocols for child abuse were reviewed in the same manner for the purpose of comparison. RESULTS: Of the 35 publicly available statewide EMS protocols, only 14 (40.0%) mention elder abuse. Of protocols that mention elder abuse, 6 (42.9%) define elder abuse, 10 (71.4%) describe indicators of elder abuse, 8 (57.1%) provide instruction regarding management, and 12 (85.7%) provide instruction regarding reporting. Almost twice as many states met each of these metrics for child abuse. CONCLUSION: Statewide EMS protocols for elder abuse vary in regard to identification, management, and reporting, with the majority of states having no content on this subject. Expansion and standardization of protocols may increase the identification of elder abuse.
Authors: Sahil Dadoo; Joseph M Grover; Lukas G Keil; Kay S Hwang; Jane H Brice; Timothy F Platts-Mills Journal: Prehosp Emerg Care Date: 2017-05-08 Impact factor: 3.077
Authors: Mark Faul; Judy A Stevens; Scott M Sasser; Lisa Alee; Angela J Deokar; Deborah A Kuhls; Peter A Burke Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2016-02-04 Impact factor: 5.043
Authors: Fuad Abujarad; Davis Ulrich; Chelsea Edwards; Esther Choo; Michael V Pantalon; Karen Jubanyik; James Dziura; Gail D'Onofrio; Thomas M Gill Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2021-02-21 Impact factor: 7.538