title: Stalking and health – an Austrian prevalence study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of stalking and related subjective health impairment, based on concrete definitions of stalking, for a representative random sample of the female population in the Austrian Federal State of Styria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative random sample (randomised last digits procedure) of 2000 women selected from the female population of Styria aged 18 years or older underwent a computer-aided phone interview survey (CATI). Questions centred on the occurrence of stalking, the exact period of stalking, the gender of the stalker, the subjective impairment through stalking, addressing the aspects of life-style and the subjectively perceived state of health, and socio-demographic variables. For data analyses descriptive statistics, and chi(2)-tests and t-tests were applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lifetime prevalence varies between ca. 6% and 18%, depending on definition levels. The annual prevalences reveal a range of 1-4%. 39-43% of the stalked women feel they are impaired in their life-style, and 32-40% feel impaired in their health. Higher age and living in a partnership reduce the likelihood of being stalked. 81% of the stalked women are stalked by a male person.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalences found in this study are in line with other international studies, although, in a direct comparison, they are in the lower range. However, these data document the relevance of the phenomenon of stalking for the female Austrian population.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Sozialmedizin und Epidemiologie, Medizinische Universität, Graz. Wolfgang.freidl@meduni-graz.at
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Freidl
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Neuberger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schönberger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raml
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D055807:Stalking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult