Silent victims: domestic violence against elderly in Brazil

Abstract

The increase in the elderly population is a global phenomenon and with it medical and social issues have taken on great importance. Violence against the elderly has become a public health problem due to the high rates of morbidity and mortality (M&M) associated with it. Identifying elderly maltreatment is everyone’s duty, especially the doctor’s, so that negative outcomes do not occur. Disclosure of information about victim’s and abuser’s characteristics and about the main types of violence is a way of keeping health professionals alert, thus justifying this study. This is a transversal descriptive study based on information from Brazil’s Health Ministry on domestic violence reports involving people over 60 years old of both genders. The time frame reviewed ranges from January, 2009 through December, 2014. The results of the study show that the number of reports concerning domestic violence against the elderly progressively increased in the time span referred above. Most aggressions occurred in the victim’s home and oftentimes the abusers were the victim’s sons. Women were more commonly abused, however men had a higher mortality frequency. Physical aggression and negligence were the most often reported. Despite the apparent rise in reports, these rates are still far from the actual rates in reality, due to under-reporting. Doctors should be aware of the possibility of abuse and report on confirmed or suspected cases, in compliance with the Brazilian laws.