Family Attitude Toward Elder Abuse in Ibb Governorate, Yemen

Abstract

Abstract Background Elder abuse is globally recognized as an extensive and serious issue that requires immediate attention from health care systems, social welfare agencies, policymakers, and the general public. This matter is not well-known in the Arab world in the present literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate elder abuse in Yemen's community. Participants from Ibb governorate, Yemen, were surveyed about their awareness, attitudes, and sense of responsibility regarding elder abuse. Methodology: A study was conducted in the governorate of Ibb, Yemen, using cross-sectional methods. The participants were randomly selected (n = 289) and asked to respond to a questionnaire regarding elder abuse. Informed consents were obtained from all participants. Results Overall, 289 individuals participated in the study. The majority of participants (90%) disagreed that living situations (for example, older people living separately) would result in less violence. Ninety-five percent of them agreed that abuse occurs when an older person is subjected to certain behaviors, including shouting, insults, and ridicule. According to 95.2% of the respondents, they agreed that they are responsible for preventing elder abuse and neglect. Conclusion In this study, the majority of participants viewed elder abuse and neglect as a serious matter. The participants were highly aware of physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse, and caregiver neglect. There were few participants who blamed older individuals for the abuse. The development of effective interventions can be achieved by exploring factors associated with elder abuse and using this knowledge to prevent elder abuse and neglect.