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182707 Adolescent intimate partner violence and substance abuse among female teen clinic users

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD , Department of Pediatrics, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
Michele R. Decker, ScD , Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Anita Raj, PhD , Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Elizabeth A. Reed, ScD , Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Danelle E. Marable, MA , Community Benefit Program/Institute for Health Policy, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Jay G. Silverman, PhD , Division of Public Health Practice/Department of Society, Human Development & Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Background: Adolescent intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with substance use in population-based studies. How IPV relates to substance use in the adolescent clinic population are not known.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess IPV among adolescent females utilizing teen clinics and associations of IPV with their and their partners' substance use.

Methods: Females ages 14-20 (N=448) seeking care at five urban adolescent health clinics anonymously completed an automated survey instrument (ACASI). Participants self-reported their experiences of physical and sexual violence victimization, their and their partners' substance use.

Results: Forty percent of adolescent female patients report a history of physical or sexual violence from a partner. In this clinic sample, 47.4% reported any alcohol use in the past 30 days, and 35.4% reported past 30 day marijuana use. Of those females with history of IPV, 57.5% reported current use of alcohol compared with 41.0% among those with no IPV history (OR 1.95; 95% CI 1.23, 3.10). Current use of marijuana was also higher among females with IPV history (OR 4.12; 95% CI 2.51, 6.76). Respondents who experienced IPV were more likely ever to have abused substances, been forced to use substances by their partners, and been made to have sex when drunk or high.

Conclusions: IPV among females in the teen clinic setting is common and associated with substance abuse by themselves as well as their partners. Substance abuse assessments among adolescents seeking care should include assessing for a history of IPV.

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss the prevalence of physical and sexual violence in dating relationships among a clinic-based sample of adolescent females. 2. Describe patterns of substance abuse associated with partner violence victimization. 3. Discuss the implications of these findings for substance abuse prevention and treatment.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Domestic Violence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a clinician researcher conducting a mixed-methods study on adolescent partner violence and the impact on sexual and mental health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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.

See more of: Innovations in Family Violence Prevention
See more of: Family Violence Prevention Forum