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Abstract
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Introduction
initially considered a social welfare problem, familial elder abuse is now a question of public health. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of familial elder abuse and to determine associated risk factors in a rural area of Mexico.
Material and methods
a cross sectional study was conducted. A random sample of individuals aged 60 years old and older registered in community-based services in the IMSS-Oportunidades Rural Hospital of Ocozocoautla, Chiapas was selected. A home interview was carried out and information was obtained on sociodemographic characteristics, family function, social network, the presence of disease, cognitive status, physical function, and family violence. Statistical analysis of the data included simple frequencies, the chi-square test, odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and a logistic regression model.
Results
we interviewed 1,078 older people. The overall prevalence of family violence in the elderly was 8.1% (95% CI, 6.4-9.7). Distribution was as follows: physical abuse 3.4%, psychological abuse 7%, sexual abuse 0.6%, and financial abuse 2.2%. Several factors were strongly associated with family violence: illiteracy (OR = 2.15; 95% CI, 1.26-3.66; p = 0.005), housing dependence (OR = 1.78, 95% CI, 1.06-2.99; p = 0.030), dysfunctional social network (OR = 5.98; 95% CI, 3.56-10.04; p <= 0.001), the presence of at least one disease (OR = 3.96; 95% CI, 2.35-6.67; p <= 0.001), and physical dependence (OR = 1.66; 95% CI, 0.99-2.80; p = 0.055).
Conclusions
this study shows that the prevalence of family violence in the rural setting is not negligible (8.1%). The associated factors identified allow schemes to be designed that would help personnel working with older people, whether in the social or health services, to be designed. |