Perception of ageism and self-esteem among lebanese elders at home and abroad

Discrimination against old age leads to depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem. This issue is not studied in the Lebanese society where a demographic transition is taking place and the population is aging. We assess the perception of age discrimination among Lebanese and its relation to self-esteem. Methods: We interviewed a convenience sample of 320 Lebanese elders [mean age 69.3 years +/- 6.2; 55% males] living in an urban setting [Beirut] and a rural setting [Ras-Baalbeck] a well as those who immigrated to Dakar using a preestablished questionnaire. Perception of age discrimination and socio-demographic information were collected; self-esteem was measured using the Toulouse scale. Results: More elders living in Beirut [OR = 9.7, 95% Cl = 3.5-26.6] and Ras-Baalbeck [OR = 11.42, 95% Cl = 3.95-33.1] perceived age-related discrimination than those living in Dakar. This perception was significantly associated to lower self-esteem [OR = 2.2, 95% Cl = 1.3-3.6]. Conclusion: Supporting emotionally vulnerable elders should be a target for policy makers in Lebanon. It is important to preserve a better quality of life for elders still playing a major role in families

Physical and verbal/emotional abuse of schoolchildren, Lebanon, 2009

The extent of physical and verbal/emotional abuse in schools in Lebanon is currently unknown. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of both forms of abuse among a nationally representative sample of Lebanese schoolchildren, aged 10-18 years, using a self-reported questionnaire. A total of 1177 schoolchildren, 49.6% females, median age 14 years, completed the survey; 76.4% and 81.2% of these had experienced physical and verbal/emotional abuse respectively at least once at school. Male students [adjusted odd ratio [AOR] = 3.4, P< 0.01], children in public schools [AOR = 1.9, P< 0.01] and in South Lebanon [AOR = 2.2, P< 0.01] and Bekaa [AOR = 1.7, P< 0.05] regions were more likely to have experienced physical abuse than females, children from private schools and from Beirut. Male students [AOR = 1.3, P< 0.01] and children in public schools [AOR = 1.6, P< 0.01] were also more likely to experience verbal abuse, with no regional differences. The prevalence of physical and verbal/emotional abuse in schools in Lebanon is high and solutions should be sought to correct the problem engaging political and social leaders, the mass media, law enforcement agencies, parents and educators