The prevalence, severity and chronicity of abuse towards older men: Insights from a multinational European survey.

Background: Elder abuse is a growing public health question among policy makers and practitioners in many countries. Research findings usually indicate women as victims, whereas male elder abuse still remains under-detected and under-reported. We aimed to investigate the prevalence, severity and chronicity of abuse (psychological, physical, physical injury, sexual, and financial) against older men, and to scrutinize factors (e.

Contextual determinants of intimate partner violence: a multi-level analysis in six European cities.

Objectives: To assess whether city-level characteristics influence the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization across six European cities.

Methods: The DOVE study included 3496 participants from Athens-Greece, Budapest-Hungary, London-UK, Östersund-Sweden, Porto-Portugal and Stuttgart-Germany. IPV victimization was assessed using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales, and several contextual variables were included: GINI coefficient, gender equality index, an index of social support, unemployment rate and proportion of residents with tertiary education.

Intimate Partner Violence and Use of Primary and Emergency Care: The Role of Informal Social Support.

Social support may encourage victims to disclose their experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV), but also to seek the appropriate help and care in the social and health services. Using data from a multicenter European project, DOVE (Domestic Violence Against women/men in Europe-prevalence, determinants, effects, and policies/practices), the present study aimed at measuring the frequency of primary care and emergency use according to IPV types of victimization, and to investigate whether victims receiving different levels of informal social support are using health care differently. Results suggested a significant association between IPV types and use of emergency services, and no association was found regarding primary care services.

Lifetime abuse and somatic symptoms among older women and men in Europe.

Background: Research suggests that survivors of interpersonal violence have an increasing experience of bodily symptoms. This study aims to scrutinise the association between lifetime abuse and somatic symptoms among older women and men, considering demographics/socio-economic, social support and health variables.

Methods: A sample of 4,467 community-dwelling persons aged 60-84 years (57.

Social support and the intimate partner violence victimization among adults from six European countries.

Background: Social support may buffer the negative effects of violence on physical and mental health. Family medicine providers play an essential role in identifying the available social support and intervening in intimate partner violence (IPV).

Objective: This study aimed at assessing the association between social support and the IPV victimization among adults from six European countries.

Lifetime Abuse and Quality of Life among Older People.

Few studies have evaluated the impact of lifetime abuse on quality of life (QoL) among older adults. By using a multinational study authors aimed to assess the subjective perception of QoL among people who have reported abuse during the course of their lifetime. The respondents (N = 4,467; 2,559 women) were between the ages of 60 and 84 years and living in seven European countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden).

Lifetime abuse and perceived social support among the elderly: a study from seven European countries.

Background: Being a victim of abuse during one's life course may affect social relations in later life. The aims of this study were to: (i) examine the association between lifetime abuse and perceived social support and (ii) identify correlates of perceived social support among older persons living in seven European countries.

Methods: A sample of 4467 women and men aged 60-84 years living in Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain and Sweden was collected through a cross-sectional population-based study.

The prevalence of lifetime abuse among older adults in seven European countries.

Objectives: To investigate the lifetime prevalence rate of abuse among older persons and to scrutinize the associated factors (e.g. demographics).

Healthcare and aging: do European Union countries differ?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate socio-economic inequalities in the use, accessibility and satisfaction with health services amongst 60-84 year old people from seven European urban communities. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected in 2009. The target population was people aged 60-84 years from Stuttgart (Germany), Athens (Greece), Ancona (Italy), Kaunas (Lithuania), Porto (Portugal), Granada (Spain) and Stockholm (Sweden).

Male and female physical intimate partner violence and socio-economic position: a cross-sectional international multicentre study in Europe.

Objectives: This work explores the association between socio-economic position (SEP) and intimate partner violence (IPV) considering the perspectives of men and women as victims, perpetrators and as both (bidirectional).

Study Design: Cross-sectional international multicentre study.

Methods: A sample of 3496 men and women, (aged 18-64 years), randomly selected from the general population of residents from six European cities was assessed: Athens; Budapest; London; Östersund; Porto; and Stuttgart.

Abuse of Older Men in Seven European Countries: A Multilevel Approach in the Framework of an Ecological Model.

Background: Several studies on elder abuse indicate that a large number of victims are women, but others report that men in later life are also significantly abused, especially when they show symptoms of disability and poor health, and require help for their daily activities as a result. This study focused on the prevalence of different types of abuse experienced by men and on a comparison of male victims and non-victims concerning demographic/socio-economic characteristics, lifestyle/health variables, social support and quality of life. Additionally, the study identified factors associated with different types of abuse experienced by men and characteristics associated with the victims.

The prevalence of self-reported underuse of medications due to cost for the elderly: results from seven European urban communities.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-reported underuse of medications due to procurement costs amongst older persons from seven European urban communities.

Methods: The data were collected in a cross-sectional study ("ABUEL, Elder abuse: A multinational prevalence survey") in 2009. Randomly selected people aged 60-84 years (n = 4,467) from seven urban communities: Stuttgart (Germany), Athens (Greece), Ancona (Italy), Kaunas (Lithuania), Porto (Portugal), Granada (Spain) and Stockholm (Sweden) were interviewed.

Intimate partner violence and health-related quality of life in European men and women: findings from the DOVE study.

Purpose: Little is known on the specific relation between being a perpetrator or both a victim and perpetrator of intimate partner violence (IPV) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We assessed the association between HRQoL and abuse, considering men and women as victims, perpetrators or reciprocally.

Methods: Participants were adult men and women (n = 3,496), randomly selected from the general population of six European cities.

The relationship between abuse, psychosocial factors, and pain complaints among older persons in Europe.

Background And Objective: Abuse and pain complaints are common among older persons. However, little is known about relationships between abuse (e.g.

Factors associated with refraining from buying prescribed medications among older people in Europe.

Aim: To evaluate the associations between refraining from buying prescribed medications and selected factors among older persons.

Methods: A total of 4467 people aged 60-84 years from seven European countries answered a questionnaire (response rate 45.2%).

Elder abuse and socioeconomic inequalities: a multilevel study in 7 European countries.

Objectives: To compare the prevalence of elder abuse using a multilevel approach that takes into account the characteristics of participants as well as socioeconomic indicators at city and country level.

Methods: In 2009, the project on abuse of elderly in Europe (ABUEL) was conducted in seven cities (Stuttgart, Germany; Ancona, Italy; Kaunas, Lithuania, Stockholm, Sweden; Porto, Portugal; Granada, Spain; Athens, Greece) comprising 4467 individuals aged 60-84 years. We used a 3-level hierarchical structure of data: 1) characteristics of participants; 2) mean of tertiary education of each city; and 3) country inequality indicator (Gini coefficient).

Intimate partner violence in Europe: design and methods of a multinational study.

Objective: To describe the design, methods, procedures and characteristics of the population involved in a study designed to compare Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in eight European countries.

Methods: Women and men aged 18-65, living in Ghent-Belgium (n = 245), Stuttgart-Germany (n = 546), Athens-Greece (n = 548), Budapest-Hungary (n = 604), Porto-Portugal (n = 635), Granada-Spain (n = 138), Östersund-Sweden (n = 592), London-United Kingdom (n = 571), were sampled and administered a common questionnaire. Chi-square goodness of fit and five-age strata population fractions ratios for sex and education were computed to evaluate samples' representativeness.

Social support, socio-economic status, health and abuse among older people in seven European countries.

Background: Social support has a strong impact on individuals, not least on older individuals with health problems. A lack of support network and poor family or social relations may be crucial in later life, and represent risk factors for elder abuse. This study focused on the associations between social support, demographics/socio-economics, health variables and elder mistreatment.

Health services and the treatment of immigrants: data on service use, interpreting services and immigrant staff members in services across Europe.

Background: The number of immigrants using health services has increased across Europe. For assessing and improving the quality of care provided for immigrants, information is required on how many immigrants use services, what interpreting services are provided and whether staff members are from immigrant groups.

Methods: Structured interviews were conducted with 15 health services (9 primary care, 3 emergency departments, 3 mental health) located in areas with high immigrant populations in each of 16 European countries (n=240).

Causes of refraining from buying prescribed medications among the elderly in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Background And Objective: Accessibility to medications among the elderly is a source of concern in Lithuania and beyond. However, there are no studies carried out on this topic in Lithuania. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the causes of refraining from buying prescribed medications among the elderly in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Study design, sampling and assessment methods of the European study 'abuse of the elderly in the European region'.

Background: Violence against and abuse of older persons (VAO) aged>60 years has become a prominent public health issue. From January 2009-July 2009, we conducted the cross-sectional European study 'Abuse of the elderly in the European region' (ABUEL) among community-dwelling elderly populations aged 60-84 years in Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. We describe the cooperation, completion and response rates; the modes of recruitment and administration; and analyse differences in response rates between countries.

Abuse assessment screen (AAS) questionnaire: the Greek validation.

Aim: Domestic violence is a social problem with increasing dimensions worldwide. The various forms of abuse and especially violence during pregnancy have not been sufficiently studied by the Greek scientific community. The aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt and validate a special research tool that can be used by health professionals as a diagnostic tool for violence during pregnancy.

Use of contraception and abortion in Greece: a review.

Greece has one of the highest rates of abortions in Europe and a very low prevalence of contraceptive use apart from withdrawal and condoms. Based on limited data from the past 30 years, this paper describes the context in which Greek women make reproductive decisions, and the history of family planning and abortion policies and services in Greece. It shows that in spite of the persistence of the traditional importance placed on marriage and motherhood, the fertility rate in Greece is very low.