Knowledge, Attitude, And Perception On Elder Abuse Among Healthcare Professionals And Healthcare Students In Malaysia

Abstract

In Malaysia, elder abuse is recognized as a form of domestic violence, which is widely occurring among the geriatric population across the country. However, most of the cases remain undetected and silent, which makes it very hard to assess. The knowledge, attitude, and perception of healthcare professionals and healthcare students about elder abuse play a vital role in recognizing and reporting the cases. This study was conducted to assess their knowledge, attitude, and perceptions toward elder abuse. prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire. A total of 151 participants were included in two groups as healthcare professionals and healthcare students. The questionnaire was distributed to the respondents and the data collected were analyzed using the Chi-square test for the dichotomous variables and to look for the association between independent variables. analyzed data showed that 60 healthcare professionals and 91 healthcare students have a considerable level of attribute in each category.The participants were found to possess the basic information but not the adequate one. As both types of participants play a major role in the healthcare of the nation, it is mandatory to implement and other means to update and educate themselves.