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International Handbook of Elder Abuse and Mistreatment pp 577–602Cite as

Prevalence of Elder Abuse in Emuhaya Sub-county, Vihiga County, Kenya

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Abstract

Elder abuse is recognized as a serious and growing problem globally. As studies suggest, it remains unrecognized and hidden from the public. Data from different countries suggest that between 1 and 10% of elderly people have experienced some form of abuse. Although the majority of societies strive to check and control this problem, their efforts may be constrained by diverse experiences of the elderly in different social contexts, varied factors, and attitudes of community members toward the elderly. The incidence of elder abuse in Kenya and in Emuhaya specifically appears to be increasing by certain accounts, yet no clear cut evidence or official rates are available. This study reflects on the prevalence of elder abuse in Emuhaya sub-county. This descriptive study adopted survey design, employing both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. It was established that 82.1% of the elderly people in Emuhaya are abused both in domestic and public settings. The common type of abuse is neglect accounting for 43.9%. Abuse of the elderly is attributed to socioeconomic and physical factors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioural Sciences, Uzima University, Kisumu, Kenya

    Lydiah Kabole Atetwe

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  1. Lydiah Kabole Atetwe
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Correspondence to Lydiah Kabole Atetwe .

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  1. Maitreyi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Mala Kapur Shankardass

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Atetwe, L.K. (2020). Prevalence of Elder Abuse in Emuhaya Sub-county, Vihiga County, Kenya. In: Shankardass, M. (eds) International Handbook of Elder Abuse and Mistreatment. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8610-7_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8610-7_31

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-8609-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-8610-7

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