Domestic violence against elderly people assisted in primary care

ABSTRACT This article aims to investigate the prevalence of domestic violence against elderly people in primary care and possible associated factors. A descriptive, cross-sectional study, with 169 individuals aged 60 years and over, of both sexes, enrolled in the Family Health Units (FHU) of the 4.1 micro region of the city of Recife. Elderly people with health impairment that compromised communication and/or cognition were excluded. The data were collected through interviews in the homes or FHU, with socio-demographic issues, self-perceived health and the research instrument to evaluate possible situations of violence, which was developed and validated in Puerto Rico and adopted by the Ministry of Health. There were 133 elderly people with indicative signs of at least one type of violence in their domestic environment, representing a prevalence of 78.7%, with negligence as the most prevalent type (58.5%), followed by psychological (21.5%) and financial (14%). The elderly interviewed who classified their health as regular/poor have this increased risk. The study reinforces the hypothesis of the existence of domestic violence against the elderly. Thus, identifying its prevalence is the first step in addressing this public health problem.