Program & Abstract Book - EPFL Latsis Symposium 2009

EPFL Latsis Symposium 2009: Understanding Violence
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Poster Abstracts
fr e q u e n c y a n D ty p e s o f Do m e s t i c ab u s e
a m o n g el D e r l y r e f e r r i n g t o pa r k s o f
te h r a n .
Ghorbi, Banafsheh 1 ; Manoochehri, Houman 1 ; Hosseini,
Meymanat 1 ; Nasiri Oskouei, Navideh 1 ; Karbakhsh, Mojgan 2
1 Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science and Health Srevices,
Tehran, Iran; 2 Tehran University of Medical Science and
Health Srevices, Tehran, Iran
Aging has always been concerned throughout history. The second half of
the 20th century has been referred as population graying due to increased
number of elderly people. Of related familial and social outcomes is the
upsurge of antisocial behaviors and violence. Domestic elder mistreatment
or abuse as a major health problem is a type of familial violence
with a significantly increasing incidence in the last 2 decades. Since there
is no specific organization to be responsible for this problem in developing
countries like Iran, no information or evidence is available and limited
studies are only limited to developed countries. This descriptive study was
conducted to determine the degree and types of domestic abuse in the
elderly referring to parks of Tehran.
400 elders 60 years and over including men and women from all parts
of Tehran took part in the study. A questionnaire in 3 parts including demographics,
types of abuse and open questions was used for data collection.
The tool was validated by face and content methods and made
reliable by internal consistency as well as test-retest methods. The questionnaire
was completed by the researcher through interviewing the subjects.
Findings showed that %28 of the elderly was between 70 and 74,
%38.2 had secondary education, %65.1 was married and %32.9 lived
with their spouses. %87.8 of them experienced at least 1 type of abuse,
%12.2 no abuse and %24.9 all 4 types of abuse. %84.8 experienced
emotional abuse; %68.3, neglect; %40.1, financial exploitation; and
%35.2, physical abuse.
It can be concluded that domestic abuse is a widespread social problem
which requires urgent, continuous and fundamental interventions.
Clarification of the issue from different aspects, identification of predisposing
and preventive factors and identification of at-risk elders are of high
priorities in this regard.
Keyword: Elderly, Domestic abuse, Parks.
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