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Abstract #164718

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Penelope J. Baughman, MPA, MPH¹, Ekta Choudhary, MS, MPH², Jeffrey Coben, MD², and Robert M. Bossarte, PhD³. (1) Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, PO Box 9100, Morgantown, WV 26506-9100, 304-293-7254, pbaughman@hsc.wvu.edu, (2) Injury Control Research Center, Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 9151, RCB Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV 26506, (3) Department of Comunity Medicine, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 9151, Morgantown, WV 26506

Significantly higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV)-related homicide have been found among women residing in rural communities. Prior research has yielded conflicting results on rural-urban differences in the prevalence of non-fatal IPV; and these prior studies have been limited by small sample sizes. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of self-reported IPV within a large sample of adult females and to compare IPV prevalence among those living in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Data are from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System optional IPV module administered to 32,000 women in 10 states. Questions on IPV included threatened, attempted, or inflicted violence; unwanted sex or violence; injuries sustained from violence or unwanted sex; and relationship to current or former partner. Among all respondents, 20% reported sustaining physical IPV within their lifetime, while 6% of respondents who reported unwanted sex or physical violence were victimized within the previous 12 months. Chi-square tests were used to determine statistically significant differences in the percentage of women reporting IPV victimization. No major differences in the prevalence of IPV were found across urban, suburban, and rural strata. These findings, when combined with existing data on IPV-related homicide, suggest that the overall prevalence of IPV is similar among urban and rural populations, but that IPV is more likely to escalate to lethal violence among women residing in rural locations.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the prevalence of non-fatal intimate partner violence (IPV) for females.
• Identify the differences in the prevalence of non-fatal IPV in urban, suburban, and rural female populations.
• Identify associations between non-fatal IPV and health outcomes and risk factors for females.

Keywords: Domestic Violence, Women's 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.

• Slides (pdf) or Handout
• Multimedia recording