Prevalence and Correlates of Elder Abuse in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the prevalence of elder abuse and to investigate potential sociodemographic, health behavior, and medical correlates.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional data were collected in face-to-face assessments.

SETTING

São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals aged 60 to 75.

MEASUREMENTS

Information on elder abuse was obtained using the Brazil-adapted, nine-item Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test. Sampling design-adjusted descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used in analyses.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of abuse was 14.4% (n = 46/259, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 9.82-20.61) in São Paulo and 13.3% (n = 27/197, 95% CI = 8.76-19.74) in Rio de Janeiro. Unadjusted analyses indicated that poor education, low physical activity, unemployment, heart disease, and psychiatric problems were associated with abuse, but in adjusted analyses, self-reported elder abuse was significantly associated only with psychiatric problems (São Paulo: OR = 4.48, 95% CI = 1.75-11.45; Rio de Janeiro: OR = 21.61, 95% CI = 6.39-73.14).

CONCLUSION

Elder abuse is prevalent in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, but whether concomitants of abuse are cause, effect, or both is unclear because this was a cross-sectional study. These findings highlight the importance of the problem, as well as the need to develop measures to increase awareness, facilitate prevention, and fight against abuse of elderly adults.