The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #38439

Bernadette M West, PhD, Health Systems and Policy Division, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - School of Public Health, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, 732-235-4535, westbm@umdnj.edu and Lois Grau, RN, PhD, Health Systems and Policy Division, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey--School of Public Health, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854.

Violence directed toward persons with disabilities was identified by Project Censored as one of the top 20 under-reported stories of 2000. With funding from the NJ Developmental Disabilities Council, a content analysis was done of newspaper coverage on maltreatment of vulnerable persons (disabled and elderly) between 1990 and 2001. The LEXUS/NEXUS database was searched using the key words: disability, handicapped, and elderly coupled with abuse, violence, crime, maltreatment, neglect and assault. Pre-constructed categories were used to review articles, including characteristics of victim and perpetrator, type of violence, setting, and response of criminal justice system and community. Data were entered for 435 stories using SPSS and crosstabs were run for victims < age 50 and 50+. Older victims were more likely female; younger perpetrators were predominantly male. Risk factors mentioned included dependency, isolation, and financial status, with financial status mentioned more in stories involving older victims. Younger victims were more likely to be victims of sexual abuse while older victims were more likely to be victims of financial abuse and neglect. Financial greed was mentioned more in cases involving persons age 50+ while "the ease of getting away with the crime" was mentioned more with persons <50. The most frequently cited barriers to reporting was "difficulty of getting away" for all ages followed by "fear of reprisal" for those <50 and "confusion on how to report" for those 50+. While news coverage more than likely describes only the "tip of the iceberg," findings suggest ways to target possible preventive interventions.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants with better understand the extent and nature of media coverage of situations of maltreatment directed against persons with disabilities which will facilitate both more appropriate media messages as well as more targeted preventive interventions

Keywords: Disability, Violence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.