Online Program

336413
Prevalence, Patterns, and Proximal Impacts of Family Violence among Older versus Younger Adults: A Characterization and Comparison of Assault Related Injuries Treated in U.S. Hospital Emergency Departments


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 2:50 p.m. - 3:10 p.m.

Jeffrey E. Hall, PhD, MSPH, CPH, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Anthony Rosen, MD, MPH, Division of Emergency Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
Elizabeth Bloemen, MPH, Division of Emergency Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
Sunday Clark, ScD, Emergency Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY

Family violence threatens the functioning of the most important social institution and primary group. Its presence jeopardizes the physical and mental well-being of family members and disrupts the family system.  Family violence also significantly impairs the ability of individuals and families to contribute to the social, cultural, and economic sustainability of their communities.  While family violence affects persons of all ages, the experience of family violence by older adults may occur in contexts and have consequences that differ vastly from those of younger populations.  This may be particularly true when focusing on incidents producing injuries severe enough to warrant use of a hospital emergency department.  The current study uses a unique mixture of quantitative and qualitative data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) Special Study of Interpersonal Violence from 2006-2012 to describe the epidemiologic characteristics of physical assaults among older adults (persons aged ≥60) in the United States, focusing specifically on cases involving family violence.  The NEISS-AIP data are also used to compare the characteristics and consequences of family violence related assaults among older adults with those observed among younger victims of family violence (persons aged 18 to 59).  The findings from this study will shed light on the prevalence, patterns, and threats of family violence to public and family health and provide insights for efforts that can create safe, stable, nurturing environments and relationships for persons of all ages.   

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the prevalence, patterns, and proximal impacts of family violence among Older versus Younger Adults; Compare the characteristics and consequences of family violence related assaults among older adults with those observed among younger victims of family violence; and Discuss interdisciplinary, multicomponent, and multi-level approaches that can help create environments and relationships that support and safeguard families

Keyword(s): Domestic Violence, Aging

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have over 10 years of experience in public health research and service gained as an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.