Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104279

Ann Coker, PhD, School of Public Health, University of Texas, PO Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, 713 500 9955, acoker@sph.uth.tmc.edu, Paige H. Smith, PhD, Center for Women's Health and Wellness, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 401 HHP Building, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402-6170, Vicki Flerx, PhD, Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina, 1600 Hampton - Room 526, Columbia, SC 29208, and Daniel Whitaker, PhD, Division of Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341.

Little research has addressed correlates of seeking help by abused women. In this cross-sectional analysis of 255 women who agreed to participate in a quasi-experimental intervention trial, we explored correlates of help seeking by type. Frequency of help seeking in the past 6 months was relatively high; 58.6% had seen a lawyer or involved police, 47.0% had sought services from the local battered women's center, 46.1% had received mental health counselling, and 36.0% had talked with their health care provider about the abuse. Over 68% had talked with friends or family about the abuse more than 5 times. Women with higher danger assessment scores were more likely to seek help from police or lawyers (p=0.01) and call a hotline, stay at a shelter, or talk to an advocate (p=0.02). Adjusting for danger assessment, women with higher Women's Experience with Battering scale scores were more likely to have talked and talked more frequently with their health care provider about the abuse (p=0.001) and to receive psychological counselling (p=0.008). Correlates of talking a health care provider about IPV were: White compared with African-American race (OR=1.9), being currently married (OR = 2.8), having children, (OR=2.6) and reporting poor mental (p=0.001) and physical health (p= 0.015). Divorced women (OR=2.2) and those reporting being stalked (OR=1.6) were more likely to report ever and more frequently contacting police or lawyers. We note frequent help seeking behaviors among this cohort of women who were recently screened for partner violence.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the presention, the participant will be able to (
• understand the frequency of help seeking by abused women by type of help seeking; and (
• understand factors associated with greater help seeking among rural women.

Keywords: Behavioral Research, Violence Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.