Report of multiple abuse against older adults in three Brazilian cities.

Abstract

This study analyses the multiple abuse against older adults reported to the elder abuse police units of three Brazilian cities from 2009 to 2013. This is a longitudinal and retrospective study carried out through the analysis of police reports (PRs) in the elder abuse police units of three Brazilian cities: Ribeirão Preto (SP), Teresina (PI), and João Pessoa (PB). Descriptive statistical analysis consisted of absolute and percentage frequencies. The chi-square test, Fisher's Exact test, and Relative Risk (RR) were used to analyze the data, with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and a significance of 5%. A total of 2,313 reports of older adult abuse were analyzed, of which 245 (10.6%) were related to reports of multiple abuse, 49.4% in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 22.9% in João Pessoa, Paraíba, and 27.8% in Teresina, Piauí. Most of the victims of recurrent older adult abuse are female and younger elderly. Psychological abuse was the most recurrent, followed by financial abuse, occurring in the victim's own home. In João Pessoa, older women and elderly living with their abusers were at a higher risk of report of multiple abuse acts. In Ribeirão Preto, living with the aggressor was a risk factor for multiple violent acts. In the total population of the study, living without companion and not living with the aggressor were identified as protective factors against recurrent violence. The need to implement social and legal actions to improve safety for the more vulnerable groups is emphasized.