The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #43819

Sandra L. Martin, PhD¹, Daniela Sotres-Alvarez, BA², Lawrence L. Kupper³, Pamela A. Dickens, BA⁴, Donna Scandlin, MEd⁴, Judy C. Chang, MD, MPH⁵, Kathryn E. (Beth) Moracco, PhD, MPH⁶, and Ziya Gizlice⁷. (1) Dept of Maternal & Child Health, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, CB#7400, 401 Rosenau Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400, (919) 966-5973, slmartin@sph.unc.edu, (2) Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, CB # 7420, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7420, (3) Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, 3101D McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Campus Box #7420, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7420, (4) North Carolina Office on Disability and Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 8185, Chapel Hill, NC 27705-8185, (5) Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Womens Health, University of Pittsburgh Physicians, Division of Gynecology Specialties, 300 Halket Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3180, (6) Department of Maternal and Child Health, and Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#7445, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7445, (7) NC-SCHS, DPH, 1908 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1908

Purpose and Methods: This case-control study is one of the first statewide investigations to examine whether women with disabilities (defined as physical, mental, emotional, or communication-related impairments) are at enhanced risk of being physically assaulted. Data were analyzed from female respondents of the North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, a statewide telephone survey of non-institutionalized residents. Results and Conclusions: A total of 1794 women were studied: 59 cases (women assaulted in the past year) and 1735 controls (women not assaulted in the past year). Among the cases, 48% were assaulted by intimate partners, 20% by acquaintances, 18% by multiple persons, and 14% by strangers. Bivariate analyses found that the cases and controls were similar in terms of their education and income levels; however, cases differed from controls in terms of marital status (cases were more likely to be single), age (cases were younger), and disability status (cases were less likely to have a disability). When logistic regression was used to model the probability of being physically assaulted in the past year as a function of having a disability and the potentially confounding variables (age, marital status, income, and education), having a disability was not significantly associated with women's likelihood of physical assault (OR=1.18, 95% CI=0.43-3.24).

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

• Describe the extent of disability and violence among women.
• Articulate the association between violence and disability in the lives of women.
• Describe important issues to be considered in examining associations between violence and disability.

Keywords: Disability, Violence

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.