Domestic violence against patients with chronic neurologic disorders

Background: Violent behavior caused by some neurologic disorders has been w idely studied. However, the inverse, violence suffered by patients with neu rologic disorders, has not been reported. Brain disorders frequently produc e a high frequency of social, psychological, or physical disabilities that could leave patients vulnerable to domestic violence. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of domestic violence among female p atients with chronic neurologic disorders and to identify possible diagnose s associated with the battering syndrome. Design: Cross-sectional, self-administered, anonymous survey. Setting: Tertiary care center for neurologic disorders in Mexico. Patients: One thousand consecutive adult female patients with neurologic di sorders, separated by medical diagnosis of functional or structural disorde rs. Main Outcome Measures: A modified version of the Abuse Assessment Screen wa s administered. Statistical analysis was performed using Poisson regression to estimate the prevalence ratio by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: Overall, 31.2% of women with chronic neurologic disorders were sur vivors of domestic violence. When separated according to the nature of the disease, 35.3% of patients with functional disorders and 28.1% of patients with brain structural disorders were victims of domestic violence (P = .02) . Risk increased in relation to duration of marriage, number of children, a nd work outside the home. Conclusions: One third of female patients with chronic neurologic disorders in Mexico suffer domestic violence. A higher frequency of domestic violenc e was endured by patients with diagnosis of functional disorders as essenti al epilepsy, headache, migraine, trigeminal pain, depression, or vertigo. T he possibility of domestic violence should be routinely explored in patient s with chronic neurologic disorders of functional origin.