# Feasibility of Virtual cOaching in making Informed Choices on Elder Mistreatment Self-Disclosure (VOICES)

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $386,136

## Abstract

7. PROJECT SUMMARY
Elder mistreatment (EM) is a major public health problem with prevalence estimate ranges from 7.6% to 12.7%
among older adults. EM causes serious adverse outcomes for its victims including injury, increased service
utilization, mental distress and increased mortality. A major barrier in EM is the inability to
accurately identify EM victims. It is estimated that only 1 in 24 cases become known to authorities. This is
problematic as older adults are not likely to report that they are being mistreated. To improve the screening for
EM and promote self-disclosure we will study the Feasibility of Virtual cOaching in making Informed Choices
overcoming
on Elder Mistreatment Self-Disclosure (VOICES). The overarching aim of this project is to VOICES that runs
on tablets and used by older adults screen for EM. VOICES will be utilizing virtual coaching, interactive
multimedia libraries (e.g. graphics, video clips, animations, etc.), techniques form electronic screening for
intimate partner violence, and brief motivational interviewing designed to enhance identifying EM among older
adults. This project includes developing new screening framework, as well as a study to examine the feasibility
of this complex interventions in real-world settings. Our aims are: 1) to develop and refine the interactive
VOICES tool, which will promote self-identification and self-disclosure to increase reporting of EM at point-of-
care in the ED setting. 2) to conduct a feasibility study (N= 800) examining the use of VOICES in a busy ED,
and 3) to perform a preliminary evaluation of the accuracy of VOICES as a screening tool in correctly
classifying EM cases that were referred to Adult Protective Services (APS).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10140256
- **Project number:** 5R01AG060084-04
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Fuad Abujarad
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $386,136
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10140256

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10140256, Feasibility of Virtual cOaching in making Informed Choices on Elder Mistreatment Self-Disclosure (VOICES) (5R01AG060084-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10140256. Licensed CC0.

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