CDC Proposes Uniform Definitions for Elder Abuse Data Collection

​To promote more consistent data collection and public health surveillance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released proposed uniform definitions and core data elements for elder abuse. With the older adult population growing, the public health effects of elder abuse can be expected to similarly expand, CDC says; however, there are few studies that attempt to distinguish the health effects of abuse compared to the normal effects of aging. Despite this lack of study, abuse has been identified as a predictor of future disability in individuals who had not previously displayed any signs of disability, and is associated with increased emergency department and hospitalization use and increased risk of mortality.