Physical health consequences of physical and psychological intimate partner violence

Background: Past studies that have addressed the health effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) have defined IPV as Violence based on physical blow s that frequently cause injuries. To our knowledge, no epidemiologic resear ch has assessed the physical health consequences of psychological forms of IPV. Objective: To estimate IPV prevalence by type and associated physical healt h consequences among women seeking primary health care. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting and Participants: A total of 1152 women, aged 18 to 65 years, recru ited from family practice clinics from February 1997 through January 1999 a nd screened for IPV during a brief in-clinic interview; health history and current status were assessed in a follow-up interview. Results: Of 1152 women surveyed, 53.6% ever experienced any type of partner violence; 13.6% experienced psychological IPV without physical IPV. Women experiencing psychological IPV were significantly more likely to report poo r physical and mental health (adjusted relative risk [RR], 1.69 for physica l health and 1.74 for mental health). Psychological IPV was associated with a number of adverse health outcomes, including a disability preventing wor k (adjusted RR, 1.49), arthritis (adjusted RR, 1.67), chronic pain (adjuste d RR, 1.91), migraine (adjusted RR, 1.54) and other frequent headaches (adj usted RR, 1.41), stammering (adjusted RR, 2.31), sexually transmitted infec tions (adjusted RR, 1.82), chronic pelvic pain (adjusted RR, 1.62), stomach ulcers (adjusted RR, 1.72), spastic colon (adjusted RR, 3.62), and frequen t indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation (adjusted RR, 1.30). Psychological IPV was as strongly associated with the majority of adverse health outcome s as was physical IPV. Conclusions: Psychological IPV has significant physical health consequences . To reduce the range of health consequences associated with IPV, clinician s should screen for psychological forms of IPV as well as physical and sexu al IPV.