Citation

Mouton CP, Rodabough RJ, Rovi SLD, Hunt JL, Talamantes MA, Brzyski RG, Burge SK. Am. J. Public Health 2004; 94(4): 605-612.

Affiliation

Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 78229-7795, USA. mouton@uthscsa.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, American Public Health Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15054013

PMCID

PMC1448306

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We examined prevalence, 3-year incidence, and predictors of physical and verbal abuse among postmenopausal women. METHODS: We used a cohort of 91,749 women aged 50 to 79 years from the Women's Health Initiative. Outcomes included self-reported physical abuse and verbal abuse. RESULTS: At baseline, 11.1% reported abuse sometime during the prior year, with 2.1% reporting physical abuse only, 89.1% reporting verbal abuse only, and 8.8% reporting both physical and verbal abuse. Baseline prevalence was associated with service occupations, having lower incomes, and living alone. At 3-year follow-up, 5.0% of women reported new abuse, with 2.8% reporting physical abuse only, 92.6% reporting verbal abuse only, and 4.7% reporting both physical and verbal abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Postmenopausal women are exposed to abuse at similar rates to younger women; this abuse poses a serious threat to their health.

Language: en