 |
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
|
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Ann L Coker, PhD, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health, Health Sciences Building, Columbia, SC 29208, 803-777-6647, acoker@sph.sc.edu and Kenneth W Watkins, PhD, Department of Health Promotion and Education, University of South Carolina, Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with poor health yet the pathways through which IPV affects either mental or physical health are not well characterized. We used structural equation modeling to test a model in which both current physical IPV and battering were included as independent variables. The battering scale measures abuse of power and control that characterize abusive relationships. Emotional support provided to women experiencing IPV was hypothesized to mediate the impact of IPV on current mental and physical health (dependent variables). Confounding factors included the woman’s age, health insurance status, and partner substance abuse. This analysis was based within a cross-sectional study of 1,152 women, ages 18-65, recruited from family practice clinics between 1997-1999 (response rate 73%). 191 women screened as currently abused were included in this analysis. The mean age of women in the sample was 40.4 " 11.4, 59.7% were African-American, and 56% had private health insurance. Emotional support appears to mediate the effect of IPV on mental health; higher battering scores were inversely correlated with receiving more emotional support (beta=-0.43; **=p<0.001), more emotional support was inversely correlated with poorer mental health (beta=0.44**), and poorer mental health was positively correlated with poorer physical health (beta=0.60**). Neither physical IPV nor battering was directly correlated with current health. Diagnostics on the final model indicated a good fit (Chi-square=34.64, p=0.02; GFI=0.96, CFI=0.95, RMSEA=0.06). These data suggest that IPV is associated with poor health through emotional support. If women receive more support to address IPV, the health impact of IPV may be significantly reduced.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Violence, Women's Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.