NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the prevalence of chronic health conditions is increased among victims of intimate partner violence.
In 2005, approximately 70,000 subjects (60 percent female) who responded to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey completed an additional set of questions related to intimate partner violence.
According to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for February 8, a publication of the CDC, 12 percent of men and 24 percent of women reported a history of "threatened, attempted, or completed physical violence or unwanted sex by a current or former intimate partner."
In analyses controlling for age, race/ethnicity, income, and education, men and women with a history of intimate partner violence were more likely than those without such a history to be using disability equipment and to be limited in their ability to perform activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems.
The prevalence of arthritis, current asthma, and history of stroke was also higher in victims of intimate partner violence. Women, but not men, with a history of intimate partner violence had higher rates of heart attack, heart disease, and elevated cholesterol levels.
Intimate partner violence was also associated with increased smoking, alcohol abuse, and risk factors for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases in both sexes.
Although the cross-sectional design of the study precludes determination of causality, "clinicians should consider assessing exposure to IPV when patients have signs or symptoms of stress or other conditions that are consistent with IPV."
"These results indicate a need for secondary intervention strategies to address the health-related needs of intimate partner violence victims and reduce their risk for subsequent adverse health conditions and health risk behaviors," co-investigators Dr. M. C. Black and Dr. M. J. Breiding wrote in their report.
SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, February 8, 2008.
