Prevalence and 3-year incidence of abuse among postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES

We examined prevalence, 3-year incidence, and predictors of physical and verbal abuse among postmenopausal women.

METHODS

We used a cohort of 91,749 women aged 50 to 79 years from the Women's Health Initiative. Outcomes included self-reported physical abuse and verbal abuse.

RESULTS

At baseline, 11.1% reported abuse sometime during the prior year, with 2.1% reporting physical abuse only, 89.1% reporting verbal abuse only, and 8.8% reporting both physical and verbal abuse. Baseline prevalence was associated with service occupations, having lower incomes, and living alone. At 3-year follow-up, 5.0% of women reported new abuse, with 2.8% reporting physical abuse only, 92.6% reporting verbal abuse only, and 4.7% reporting both physical and verbal abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

Postmenopausal women are exposed to abuse at similar rates to younger women; this abuse poses a serious threat to their health.