REVIEW ARTICLE


The Elderly and the City: Lack of Knowledge on Violence Perception and Consequences on Daily Life



Alessia Bramanti1, 2, *, Ernesto D’Aloja3, Federico Cabras3, Pasquale Paribello3, Maria Francesca Moro4, Jutta Lindert5, Mauro Giovanni Carta3
1 Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti, ISASI, Messina, Italy
2 IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Messina, Italy
3 Department of Social Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
4 Mailma School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
5 Soziale Arbeit und Gesundheit, University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer, Emden, Germany


Article Metrics

CrossRef Citations:
3
Total Statistics:

Full-Text HTML Views: 1064
Abstract HTML Views: 404
PDF Downloads: 300
ePub Downloads: 228
Total Views/Downloads: 1996
Unique Statistics:

Full-Text HTML Views: 480
Abstract HTML Views: 272
PDF Downloads: 228
ePub Downloads: 193
Total Views/Downloads: 1173



Creative Commons License
© 2018 Bramanti et al.

open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

* Address correspondence to this author at the Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti, ISASI, Via Torre Bianca, Istituto Marino, Mortelle, 98164 Messina, Italy; Tel: +39 09060128100; Fax: +39 09060128108; E-mail: alessia.bramanti@gmail.com


Abstract

Introduction:

Two main demographic phenomena have substantially changed the condition of elderly: the growth of the urban population and the increase in longevity.

Objective:

The aim of the present review is to investigate how the elderly living in the cities perceive the sense of insecurity compared to those who reside in rural areas, and their Quality of Life (QoL).

Method:

Studies published from January 2011 to August 2017 were identified on Google and PubMed combining the following terms: “elderly urban/rural QoL” or “old age urban/rural QoL”.

Results:

We found 18 different papers published. However, there was only one study on how the elderly perceive the violence in the city. Studies on quality of life were not univocal. Studies on depressive disorders in old age were most homogeneous showing a condition worsening in the cities. A study on the perception of violence in US showed in residents of cities and neighborhoods with the entertainment arena and casinos an increase of criminality perception. In contrast, the crime decreased in both above-mentioned neighborhoods.

Conclusion:

The condition of elderly in the cities is changed considerably in the recent years. It is estimated that this trend will increase in the coming years. We do not know how older people are experiencing these changes and how they perceive the persistence of violence in the cities. Future researches must satisfy this need by addressing the issue with appropriate methodological tools. This is a public health priority.

Keywords: City, Elderly, Quality of Life, Rural Area, Urban Area, Violence.