Cecilia Casanueva, Department of MCH, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, CB#7445, 401 Rosenau Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7445, 919-677-0754, casanuev@email.unc.edu, Vangie A. Foshee, PhD, Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#7400 Rosenau Hall, School of Public Health-UNC CH, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400, and Richard Barth, PhD, Frank A. Daniels School of Social Work, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 301 Pittsboro, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3550.

Objective: to examine the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on injuries to children and their use of the emergency room (ER). Method: Data used was from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), a national probability study of children investigated for child abuse and neglect. The analysis is limited to 3466 female caregivers that were the biological, adoptive, or stepmother of the children. Measures included the physical violence scale of the CTS1 and the CIDI-SF for measures of maternal depression, alcohol abuse and drug abuse. Mothers reported on children injuries and use of the emergency room. Measures of maternal drug and alcohol abuse were also obtained from the caseworkers. Results: Almost half of the mothers (46%) reported IPV, 29.9 % were current victims and 22.6 % had been victims in the past. About one quarter (28.7%) reached the diagnosis criteria for major depression, 2.2% for alcohol abuse and 2.9% for drug abuse. More than 37% of the children had visited the ER or urgent care during the last 12 months, 10.22% had an injury. Children whose mothers were current victims of severe IPV had more use of the ER (IDR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.05-2.00). There was no association between children injuries and maternal current or past exposure to IPV. Current IPV and past severe IPV were significantly and positively associated with maternal depression and alcohol abuse. Children exposed to mothers with major depression have more use of the ER (IDR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.21-2.06) and more injuries (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.12-2.92). Maternal depression mediated the association between IPV and use of the ER.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe a theoretical framework linking IPV with children use of the emergency room and children injuries on families investigated by the Child Protective Service
• Discuss the impact of moderate and severe IPV on maternal depression, alcohol abuse and drug abuse, and the role of maternal mental health as a mediator between IPV and children use of the emergency room
• List three needed interventions for families affected by IPV and child abuse or neglect

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.