Abstract

SANTOS, Ana João; NICOLAU, Rita; FERNANDES, Ana Alexandre  and  GIL, Ana Paula. The prevalence of violence towards the elderly: a critical review of the literature. Sociologia, Problemas e Práticas [online]. 2013, n.72, pp.53-77. ISSN 0873-6529.  https://doi.org/10.7458/SPP2013722618.

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.

Keywords : violence; elderly person; family context; prevalence.

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