A new role for imaging in the diagnosis of physical elder abuse: results of a qualitative study with radiologists and frontline providers. Issue 2 (15th March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Mihan; Rosen, Tony; Murphy, Kieran; Sagar, Pallavi
• Is Part Of: Journal of elder abuse & neglect. Volume 31:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 163
• Page End: 180
• Publication Date: 2019-03-15
• Subjects: Elder abuse -- emergency radiology -- elder trauma -- physical abuse -- domestic violence; Elder Abuse -- Periodicals; Older people -- Abuse of -- United States -- Periodicals; Social work with older people -- United States -- Periodicals; 362.682
• DOI: 10.1080/08946566.2019.1573160
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0894-6566

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Pediatric radiologists play a key role in the detection of child abuse through the identification of characteristic injury patterns. Emergency radiologists have the potential to play an equally important role in the detection of elder physical abuse; however, they currently play little to no part in this effort. We examine the reasons behind this limited role, and potential strategies to expand it, by interviewing attending faculty from Emergency Radiology, Geriatrics, Emergency Medicine, Pediatric Radiology, and Pediatrics. Our interviews revealed that radiologists' contribution to elder abuse detection is currently limited by gaps in training, gaps in knowledge about imaging correlates, and gaps in inter-team clinical communication. Specifically, radiographic interpretation of elder trauma is severely restricted by lack of communication between frontline providers and radiologists about patients' injury mechanism and functional status. Improving this communication and re-conceptualizing ED workflow is critical to expanding and optimizing radiologists' role in elder abuse detection.