Dataset Information

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

ABSTRACT: 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 (57.3% women) living in seven European countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Sweden) was recruited for this cross-sectional study. Lifetime abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial and injury) was assessed on the basis of the UK study of elder abuse and the Conflict Tactics Scale-2, while somatic symptoms were assessed by the Giessen Complaint List short version. RESULTS:Women reported somatic symptoms more frequently than men. Multiple regression analyses revealed that lifetime exposure to psychological abuse was associated with higher levels of somatic symptoms among both women and men, while experiencing lifetime sexual abuse was associated with somatic symptoms only among older women, after adjusting for other demographic and socio-economic variables. Country of residence, older age, and low socio-economic status were other independent factors contributing to a higher level of somatic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS:The positive association between the experience of abuse during lifetime and the reporting of higher levels of somatic symptoms, in particular among older women, seems to suggest that such complaints in later life might also be related to the experience of mistreatment and not only to ageing and related diseases. Violence prevention throughout lifetime could help to prevent somatic symptoms in later life.

SUBMITTER: Eslami B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6687146 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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

Eslami Bahareh B Di Rosa Mirko M Barros Henrique H Torres-Gonzalez Francisco F Stankunas Mindaugas M Ioannidi-Kapolou Elisabeth E Lindert Jutta J Soares Joaquim J F JJF Lamura Giovanni G Melchiorre Maria Gabriella MG

PloS one 20190808 8

<h4>Background</h4>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.<h4>Methods</h4>A sample of 4,467 community-dwelling persons aged 60-84 years (57.3% women) living in seven European countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain ...[more]

PMID: 31393925

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Project description:To examine the degree of trauma in major osteoporotic fractures (MOF) in men versus women, we used data from 15,698 adults aged ?65 years enrolled in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study (5994 men) and the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) (9704 women). Participants were contacted tri-annually to ascertain incident fractures, which were confirmed by radiographic reports and coded according to degree of self-reported trauma. Trauma was classified as low (fall from ? standing height; fall on stairs, steps, or curb; minimal trauma other than fall [coughing, turning over]); moderate (collisions with objects during normal activity without associated fall); or high (fall from > standing height; severe trauma [motor vehicle accident, assault]). MOF included hip, clinical vertebral, wrist, and humerus fractures. Mean fracture follow-up was 9.1 years in SOF and 8.7 years in MrOS. A total of 14.6% of the MOF in men versus 6.3% of the MOF in women were classified as high trauma (p < 0.001); men versus women more often experienced fractures resulting from severe trauma as well as from fall > standing height. High-trauma fractures were more significantly common in men versus women at the hip (p = 0.002) and wrist (p < 0.001) but not at the spine or humerus. Among participants with MOF, the odds ratio of a fracture related to high-trauma fracture among men versus women was 3.12 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.70-5.71) after adjustment for traditional risk factors. Findings were similar in analyses limited to participants with hip fractures (odds ratio [OR] = 3.34, 95% CI 1.04-10.67) and those with wrist fracture (OR = 5.68, 95% CI 2.03-15.85). Among community-dwelling older adults, MOF are more likely to be related to high trauma in men than in women. These findings are not explained by sex differences in conventional risk factors and may reflect a greater propensity among men to engage in risky behavior. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Dataset Information

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

Publications

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

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