Swedish general practitioners' awareness of elderly patients at risk of or actually suffering from elder abuse

The aim of this study was to describe the awareness among Swedish general practitioners (GPs) of elderly patients at risk of or suffering from abuse during a 12-month period. A questionnaire was sent to 110 GPs working in one regional health care district in Sweden, and 59% answered and returned the questionnaire. Seventy-seven per cent of the GPs reported having one patient at risk of abuse and or neglect, and 25% were aware of patients who were subjected to verified or suspected elder abuse. Risk situations commonly involved patients with dementia, carers with problems of their own or who felt angry about the burden of caring, or paid carers who were unable to meet the needs of the elderly person. There were GPs who had contact with colleagues, district nurses and others, as well as those who had few or no contacts at all. It is important to take seriously the large number of GPs who have elderly patients in situations where there is a risk of abuse or neglect. If elder abuse is not primarily a medical problem it is essential that there should be a clearly identified authority to which GPs can refer cases.