Development of elderly abuse and neglect risk and symptoms diagnostic scales for healthcare professionals

The aim of the study, carried out with a methodological design, is to develop valid and reliable measurement tools that can be used to determine the knowledge and awareness of healthcare professionals about the risk and symptoms of elder abuse and neglect. The sample of the study consisted of 667 healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, midwives, emergency medical technicians and health officers) working at the University/State Hospital/Family Health Center in Gaziantep. IBM SPSS 22 and AMOS 24 programs were used to evaluate the data. As a result of the analysis, three different scales were developed. These are: 1) The Elderly Abuse and Neglect Risk Diagnosis Scale for Healthcare Professionals; 2) Elderly Abuse Diagnosis Scale for Healthcare Professionals; 3) Elderly Neglect Diagnosis Scale for Healthcare Professionals. In determining the validity of the scales; Content validity, criterion validity and construct validity (explanatory and confirmatory) were conducted. The CVI value for content validity is above 0.80 at all scales. For criterion validity; internal criterion validity (low-upper group comparison p=0.000 and item-total score correlations in the range of 0.418–0.789 in all scales) are at acceptable values. In explanatory factor analysis; "Kaiser Meyer Olkin" and "Barlett tests", eigenvalue analysis (1,039-17,951), explanation of total variance (49,302-65,384%) were analyzed. In the confirmatory factor analysis of all scales, fit indexes (X2/sd, RMSEA, SRMR, NFI, TLI, CFI, IFI, GFI, AGFI) were found to be in the acceptable/excellent fit range. In determining the reliability of the scales; internal consistency reliability coefficients (0.893-0.967), Item-total score correlations (0.418-0.789), Scoring consistency (Intraclass correlation: 0.893–0.967), Hotelling's T2 test (F=304.003–765.519, p=.000) and Standard Deviation (SEM≤SS/2) has been studied and the values are within the acceptable range. The test-retest correlation value was significant in all scales (p<0.001). The three scales developed as a result of the research are measurement tools with validity and reliability indicators that can be used to determine the knowledge and awareness of healthcare professionals about the risk and symptoms of elder abuse and neglect.