The prevalence of violence towards the elderly: a critical review of the literature

Authors

  • Ana João Santos
  • Rita Nicolau
  • Ana Alexandre Fernandes
  • Ana Paula Gil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7458/SPP2013722618

Abstract

The studies on the prevalence of violence towards the elderly in a family context that have been conducted in the last thirty years, especially in Europe and Anglo-Saxon countries, are not sufficiently elucidative. This is due to shortcomings in both the definition of their theoretical models and their operative  concepts. The authors of this article have systematically reviewed the literature and identified a diversity of definitions and research designs, which has an inevitable impact in terms of varying estimates. The European public perception of this problem is also at odds with the low figures contained in this type of estimate. The authors offer some
thoughts about the underlying reasons for these representations, and critique the estimates made in population-based prevalence studies.

Downloads

Issue

No. 72 (2013)

Section

Artigos

License

Authors who publish in this Journal must agree the following terms and conditions:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the Journal the right to first publication, while simultaneously agreeing to a Creative Commons Attribution License, which allows others to share their work on condition that they cite the original author(s) and recognise that the latter’s work was first published in this Journal.
  2. Authors are authorised to enter into additional contracts separately, for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work that is published in this Journal (e.g. publication in an institutional repository or as a book chapter), subject to recognition of initial publication in this Journal.