NSHAP data reveal elder mistreatment is more common than we thought

Source citation:

• Henning-Smith, C., Jacobson, I., Bailey, D., Lahr, M., Swendener, A., & DeLiema, M. (in press 2026). Rural-urban differences in the prevalence and correlates of elder mistreatment. Journal of Applied Gerontology.

Henning-Smith et al. studied the prevalence of the mistreatment of elders in the US, using data from the National Social Life, Health & Aging Project (NSHAP), a longitudinal, population-based study of older adults’ health and social relationships. The authors conducted a cross-sectional analysis, using Round 3 (2015-16 and 2020-21), with urban/rural indicators from Round 2 (2010-11). Their analytic sample included over 2,300 adults age 60 and older, 550 of whom resided in rural areas. They examined 11 different indicators of harm, as well as rural-urban differences in the rate they were reported. Their analysis revealed that elder mistreatment is significantly more common than official estimates suggest, with more than 40 percent of participants experiencing at least one form of mistreatment, and urban residents facing a higher overall risk. NSHAP uses a broader definition of mistreatment than standard surveys, capturing interpersonal conflicts that often go unrecorded. The most frequent harm reported across both urban and rural elders was financial. NSHAP is distributed by NACDA, which also maintains the NACDA Colectica Portal where one can search across NSHAP rounds and create custom data and documentation extracts. Hundreds more publications that use NSHAP data are listed on the series home page. 

Posted February 19, 2026