Abstract Title

Abstract

Title AbstractBackground: Violence is a major public health problem, yet epidemiological studies on the occurrence of violence remains limited. We aimed at 1) estimating the scope of reported violence against older persons living in seven cities of seven countries, 2) assessing socio-demographic and economic factors correlated to reported VAO and 3) understanding betw een countries commonalities and differences in reported VAO.Methods: To investigate the scope of VAO, we conducted a cross-sectional community study of N=4467 individuals in seven cities in Europe (Stuttgart, Germany; Athens, Greece; Ancona, Italy; Kaunas, Lithuania), Granada, Spain, Stockholm, Sw eden) with inventories in local languages. The associations betw een socio-demographic and economic characteristics, health and mental health factors, and experiences of violence and perpetrators characteristics were assessed by calculating and comparing the VAO crude and adjusted Odds Ratios with the respective 95% confidence intervals (CI).Findings: Mean response rate was 48.8%. Mean age was 70 years and 42.7% (N=1908) of the sample were male. The reported overall proportion of VOA was 12.7% (95% CI: 10.2-15.6) in Italy and 30.8% (95% CI: 27.2-34.6) in Sweden. The reported most common type of VAO was psychological violence 10.4% (95% CI: 8.1-13.0) in Italy and 29.7% (95% CI: 26.2-33.5) in Sweden follow ed by physical violence with 1.0% (95% CI: 0.4-2.1) in Italy and 4.0% (95%CI: 2.6-5.8) in Stockholm, Sw eden. Reported prevalence rate of physical violence with injuries: 0.0% in Italy; 1.5% (95%CI: 0.7-2.8) in Lithuania. Reported prevalence rate of financial violence: 1.8% (95%CI: 0.9-3.2) in Sw eden; 7.8% (95% CI: 5.8-10.1) in Portugal. Proportion of reported sexual violence: 0.3% in Lithuania and Spain (95% CI: 0.0-1.1); 1.5% (95%CI: 0.7-2.8) in Greece. The adjusted Odds ratio for psychological violence was for individuals from Germany 3.70 (95% CI 2.45-12.61), from Lithuania 2.60 (95% CI 1.83-3.70) from Porto, Portugal 1.91 (95% CI: 1.35-2.70) and for Sw eden 3.70 (95% CI 2.61-5.23). Gender w as associated w ith sexual and financial violence, not w ith psychological violence.Interpretation: The present study suggested that older persons living in Stockholm, Sw eden; Stuttgart, Germany, and in Kaunas, Lithuania report more often psychological violence than people living in Ancona, Italy; Granada, Spain, Porto, Portugal. Disclosure of VAO is more likely in Northern urban centers than in Southern small cities. Further research on connections betw een social and cultural constructions of family, and different types of VAO risk, as w ell as on effective interventions for older persons, are urgently needed.