Prevalence and 3-year incidence of abuse among postmenopausal women

Am J Public Health. 2004 Apr;94(4):605-12. doi: 10.2105/ajph.94.4.605.

Abstract

Objectives: We examined prevalence, 3-year incidence, and predictors of physical and verbal abuse among postmenopausal women.

Methods: We used a cohort of 91,749 women aged 50 to 79 years from the Women's Health Initiative. Outcomes included self-reported physical abuse and verbal abuse.

Results: At baseline, 11.1% reported abuse sometime during the prior year, with 2.1% reporting physical abuse only, 89.1% reporting verbal abuse only, and 8.8% reporting both physical and verbal abuse. Baseline prevalence was associated with service occupations, having lower incomes, and living alone. At 3-year follow-up, 5.0% of women reported new abuse, with 2.8% reporting physical abuse only, 92.6% reporting verbal abuse only, and 4.7% reporting both physical and verbal abuse.

Conclusions: Postmenopausal women are exposed to abuse at similar rates to younger women; this abuse poses a serious threat to their health.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
  • Battered Women / statistics & numerical data
  • Educational Status
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Health Behavior
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Income / statistics & numerical data
  • Life Style
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Occupations / statistics & numerical data
  • Population Surveillance
  • Postmenopause*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prevalence
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Spouse Abuse / statistics & numerical data*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Women's Health