Prevalence and predictors of elder abuse in Mafikeng Local Municipality in South Africa

Abstract

Elder abuse is widespread in South Africa and is a serious public health problem. This paper estimated the prevalence and identified the forms and predictors of elder abuse. The paper used cross-sectional data on 506 elderly people from Mafikeng Local Municipality in South Africa, and used the chi-square statistic and the logistic regression model to analyse the data. Overall 64.3% of men and 60.3% of women experienced elder abuse. Physical abuse was more common among men while emotional, financial and sexual abuses were more common among women. Having no working children, being currently single, living in elderly couple family, living in rural areas, having a poor self-perception of health and having a disability were significantly associated with elder abuse. We conclude that the prevalence of elder abuse is high and common, which calls for strategies to prevent the vice.