Self-reported verbal abuse in 1300+ older women within a private, tertiary women’s health clinic

• Domestic abuse can be detected even in an older group of women.
• Domestic abuse can also be detected within a tertiary women’s health clinic.
• Verbal abuse may be under-recognized, but this study observed a rate of 7%.

ObjectiveSeveral studies describe “elder abuse” among residents of nursing homes, but this issue is less well studied among independently functioning, community-based women. The current study was undertaken to report rates of self-reported intimate partner violence – with a focus on verbal abuse – among older women within a private tertiary women’s health clinic.MethodsThis study focused on women who completed a questionnaire on domestic abuse.ResultsA total of 1389 women with a median age of 55 years (range: 50, 90) are the focus of this report. Most 1102 (79%) were married. Within this group, 100 (7%) women reported verbal abuse within the last year. Rates of physical and sexual abuse were much lower with 9 women (1%) and 2 (<1%), respectively. In univariate analyses, being divorced, being an alcoholic, and having suffered prior abuse were associated with reported verbal abuse. In multivariate analyses, self-reported alcoholism and physical abuse were independently associated with reported verbal abuse.ConclusionThis study found a notable rate of patient-reported verbal abuse in older women within a private, tertiary women’s health clinic.ImplicationsThis observation should prompt healthcare providers to ask about intimate partner violence – and specifically verbal abuse – regardless of healthcare setting.