public function isReferenced() {
		
		// return flag
		$exists = FALSE;
		
		// get list of references to check
		$references = $this->db->getInverseForeignKeys(static::TABLE_NAME);
		
		foreach ($references as $r) {
			
			// get object property name
			$property = array_search($r->REFERENCED_COLUMN_NAME, static::getBinds());
			
			// count for existing records that references
			$query =
				'SELECT COUNT(*)' .
				' FROM `' . $this->db->escape($r->TABLE_NAME) . '`' .
				' WHERE ' . $this->db->escape($r->COLUMN_NAME) . ' = ?';
			
			$this->db->setQuery($query);
			$count = $this->db->loadCount($this->$property);

			// set flag as true
			if ($count) $exists = TRUE;
			
		}
		
		return $exists;
		
	}