Frontiers in psychiatry
Elderly abuse and anxiety symptoms among older adults in China: the mechanism of physical frailty and social frailty
By Zhang W, Hou W, Guo Z and 7 others.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the association between elderly abuse and anxiety symptoms among older adults and explore the mechanisms of physical frailty and social frailty between them.
Methods
A total of 1361 older adults were included in this study. Multiple linear regression and propensity score matching was conducted to confirm the association between elderly abuse and anxiety symptoms. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed to explore the mechanisms of physical frailty and social frailty between elderly abuse and anxiety symptoms.
Results
Elderly abuse was significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety symptoms. Psychological abuse and neglect showed the strongest associations with anxiety symptoms. Social frailty played moderating roles between both psychological abuse, neglect and anxiety symptoms, while physical frailty played moderating roles between only psychological abuse and anxiety symptoms. Physical frailty and social frailty both partly mediated the relationship between psychological abuse, neglect and anxiety symptoms.