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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Gale A. Spencer, PhD, RN¹, Sharon A. Bryant, PhD¹, and Nannette Van Dyke-McDonald, PhD². (1) Decker School of Nursing, Binghamton University, PO Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, 607-777-6003, gspencer@binghamton.edu, (2) School of Nursing, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 9600, Morgantown, WV 26506

The purpose of the presentation is to describe the effect of intimate personal violence on both the mental and physical health status of young, middle aged and older women. A secondary data base "The Commonwealth Fund 1998 Survey of Women's Health" was used for data analysis. Two thousand eight hundred and fifty women participated in the survey. The women ranged in age from 18 to 97 years. The generalized findings include the following. One in five women disclosed that they had been raped or assaulted. One in six women was found to be a victim of child abuse, and women with this history were at higher risk of experiencing domestic violence later in life. Fifty percent of women with a history of any type of violence or abuse reported higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to those without a history. Abused women also were found to have more physical health problems, and engaged in unhealthy behaviors to cope with violence. This presentation includes a discussion of the women's: exposure to violence, demographics, depression scores, use of alcohol and/or cigarettes, the use of the health care system by number of visits per year, the ability to disclose their abuse to the health care provider, the health care providers response to the woman's disclosure regarding her abuse, their access to health care, their use of preventive health services, and their insurance status. All of these variables will be explored by the women's age, (young, middle-aged, and older).

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Identify the differences in the prevalence rates for intimate partner violence by age group.
• Describe the differences in the response of health care providers to intimate partner. violence based on age.
• Discuss the differences in substance abuse by women who are victims of intimate partner violence by age group.

Keywords: Women's Health, Domestic Violence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered