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Abstract #156075

Nicole S. Bell, ScD, MPH, SSDS, Inc, 2330 S. 3rd Street, Tacoma, WA 98433, 253.302.4770, nbell@ssds.net

Little is known about the health and occupational outcomes of male victims of spouse abuse. 87,426 male Army soldiers: 11,294 spouse abuse victims with record of prior spouse abuse perpetration; 3,277 spouse abuse victims with no record of prior perpetration, and 72,855 non-victims who were never perpetrators were followed for up to twelve years to assess risk for hospitalization and attrition from the Army. In multivariate Cox proportional hazards models controlling for age, race, education, rank, time in service, and number of dependents, victims of spouse abuse were at significantly greater risk for hospitalization and early discharge from the Army than non-victims. In particular, victims were more likely than non-victims to experience a hospitalization for depression, alcohol dependence syndrome or other mental health disorders, even when the hospitalization occurred many years after the initial spouse abuse event. Spouse abuse victims with prior history of spouse abuse perpetration were at greatest risk for both hospitalizations (HR Victim/Perpetrator = 1.45, 95% CI =1.38-1.52, HR Victim/Non-Perpetrator = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.27-1.49) and attrition (HR Victim/Perpetrator = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.08-1.18; HR Victim/Non-perpetrator = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.02-1.08.). However, drinking by the female perpetrator or mutual drinking during the abuse event mediated the association between prior perpetrator status and hospitalization and reversed the effect on attrition such that male victims who were prior perpetrators were at lower risk than victim-non-perpetrators for early discharge from the Army. Male victims of spouse abuse need greater support to reduce their risk for adverse outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and describe four specific types of adverse health and occupational outcomes experienced by male victims of spouse abuse
• Understand and describe the persistence of these outcomes over long periods of time after an initial spouse abuse event
• List and discuss at least three risk factors that affect or modify the health outcomes of victims of spouse abuse
• Recognize that male victims of spouse abuse need greater support
• Articulate at least two possible avenues for future study and/or possible intervention exploration.

Keywords: Violence, Male Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.