EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT-BASED STUDY OF RISK-FACTORS FOR ACUTE INJURY FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Study objectives: To evaluate the associations between selected socioe conomic risk factors and acute injury from domestic violence against w omen. Methods: We conducted a preliminary matched case-control study t o measure the association of selected predictor variables with acute i njury from domestic violence against women. Patients identified as cas es were Hispanic or white female emergency department patients, 16 to 65 years of age, with acute injury sustained from physical assault by an intimate male partner. Cases were selected for inclusion in the stu dy if they reported or admitted acute physical assault by their male p artners. Controls were selected from non-case female ED patients so as to represent the base population of the cases and enhance comparabili ty. Two controls were matched to each case. The socioeconomic predicto r variables examined were the education level, employment status, hist ory of alcohol abuse, and history of drug abuse of the male partner an d the education level and cohabitation status of the female partner. R esults: Forty-six cases were identified and included in the study. The age range was 16 to 51 years (mean, 33 years). There were 26 (57%) Hi spanic and 20 (43%) white cases. The strongest predictor for acute inj ury from domestic violence in these patients was a history of alcohol abuse by the male partner, as reported by the female partner (odds rat io, 12.9). The remaining predictor variables were weakly associated or not associated with domestic violence. One half of the cases stated t hat their male partners were intoxicated with alcohol at the time of a ssault. Conclusion: Of the socioeconomic variables examined in this pr eliminary study, a history of alcohol abuse by the male partner, as re ported by the female partner, was the strongest predictor far acute in jury from domestic violence. A large-scale, multicenter, ED-based stud y is needed to clarify the relation between alcohol abuse, other socio economic factors, and acute physical assaults against women by their i ntimate male partners.