Prevalence of Perceived Experiences of Emotional, Physical, Sexual, and Health Care Abuse in a Swedish Male Patient Sample

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of and current suffering from emotional abuse (EA), physical abuse (PA), and sexual abuse (SA) and abuse in health care (AHC) among male Swedish patients and compare prevalences of abuse between female and male patients at a Swedish university hospital. For data collection we used the NorVold Abuse Questionnaire, which has been validated in a female sample and in the present study. The lifetime prevalences were EA = 12.8%, PA = 45.7%, SA = 3.8%, and AHC = 8.1%. Current suffering from abuse among participants was 1% to 9%. The women reported higher rates than men of current suffering from all kinds of abuse and more severe forms of abuse, such as life-threatening PA. Health care staff should be aware of the documented high prevalences of abuse and learn to make good judgments as to when to ask male as well as female patients about experiences of abuse.

Men’s experiences of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and abuse in health care: A cross-sectional study of a Swedish random male population sample

“…One or two weeks after their visit to the hospital, m-NorAQ and an information letter were sent out to them by mail. A detailed description of the procedure and sample have been published previously (9).…”

What contributes to abuse in health care? A grounded theory of female patients? stories

“…It has been well-documented that female and male patients can experience suffering from encounters in health care, which is not related to their disease and even despite a medically correct treatment (Brüggemann et al, 2012a;Coyle, 1999;Levinson and Shojania, 2011;Swahnberg et al, 2009a;Swahnberg et al, 2007a;Söderberg et al, 2011). These incidents do not only imply immediate and long-term suffering, but they can also affect a patient's confidence in the health care system (Swahnberg et al, 2009b).…”

“…Prevalence in Swedish male patients was about 8 percent (Swahnberg et al, 2009a). 4 *** Table 1 near here *** A theoretical framework has been developed to understand why abuse in health care occurs regardless of staff trying to provide the best care possible.…”

Toward an integrated approach in research on interpersonal violence : Conceptual and methodological challenges

“…Also, in the validation of NorAQ, informants were asked about experiences of different kinds of abuse. 'Abuse' is the term used in the first article of this thesis, in line with other publications using NorAQ Swahnberg, Wijma, Schei et al, 2004;Swahnberg, Hearn and Wijma, 2009). However, in study II-IV as well as in the introductory summary chapter I have chosen to use the term 'violence' rather than 'abuse'.…”