Patterns of abuse of elderly people in Brazil: analysis of notifications

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of elderly people abuse notifi-cations by gender and to assess notification patterns according to gender. We analyzed data from the Brazilian Information System for Notificable Diseases (SINAN) in 2017. We carried out a descriptive analysis of victim character-istics, violence, and the probable perpetrator according to gender. Pearson's chi 2 test was used to assess the significance between groups. Then, we verified the main relationships between the studied characteristics and the victim's gen-der by simple correspondence analysis (SCA). Thus, 17,311 cases/suspicions of elderly people abuse were notified, corresponding to 7.2% of the total num-ber of violence notifications. Of these victims, 50.4% were white, 42.3% were married, and 17.2% had a disability/disorder; 76.9% occurred at home, 62.8% included physical violence, and 49.5% were cases of repeated violence. Most perpetrators were men (62%), and violence by two or more perpetrators was observed in 62.8% of the cases. SCA evidenced inequalities in older adults' gender, which proved to be higher among women. Physical violence was the most common among younger and old individuals, whereas neglect/abandon-ment tended to occur more frequently among the oldest individuals, and was most often committed by daughters. In sum, this study demonstrated evidence of gender-based violence, especially among older adults. Disability proved to be an essential characteristic for neglect/abandonment in older adults. In this context, policies are needed to reduce gender inequalities and implement a care network for older adults who are victims of violence.