NCJ Number
205577
Journal
Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: 2003 Pages: 59-73
Date Published
2003
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study examined the impact of an Iowa statute requiring education for its mandatory reporters on the investigation and substantiation rates for elder abuse allegations.
Abstract
Elder abuse is a societal problem affecting all members of a community. Each State had passed some form of adult protection program by 1985 and by 1993, each State had enacted laws dealing with elder abuse in domestic and residential care facilities. In 44 of these States and the District of Columbia, State law requires mandatory reporting of elder abuse or neglect by those identified as mandatory reporters. Only Iowa contains a provision requiring mandatory reporters to received education related to their responsibility of reporting suspected incidents of abuse or neglect. The purpose of the current study was to compare investigation and substantiation rates for elder abuse before and after the July 1988 passage of the Iowa statute requiring education for mandatory reporters. Data included the number of domestic elder abuse investigations and substantiations from 1984 through 2001 in Iowa and the investigation and substantiation rates for Wisconsin and Texas. The two dependent variables were elder abuse investigation rates and substantiation rates. The analysis focused on comparing investigation and substantiation rates before and after July 1988 for 4 different time periods: the first time period compared rates occurring 1.5 years after July 1988, 2.5 years after July 1988, and 4.5 years after July 1988 with rates occurring 4.5 years before July 1988. The fourth time period compared rates 4.5 years before July 1988 with rates 12.5 years after July 1988, which captured the time period in which education was incorporated for mandatory reporters. Results of regression analyses indicated that despite a change in the law during 1988, Iowa investigations and substantiations of elder abuse and neglect remained the same over the past 17-year period. The expected result was an increase in investigations and substantiations of elder abuse as a result of greater education about the phenomenon. Moreover, over the same time period, both Texas and Wisconsin saw increases in both investigation rates and substantiation rates for elder abuse. Following a discussion of the cost of mandatory education and retraining, as well as an analysis of student characteristics, the authors suggest re-directing the funds for mandatory education to public media campaigns instead. Figures, tables, references