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

Abstract #110099

Marina Tolou-Shams, PhD, Pediatric Psychology, Brown University Medical School, Hospital Coro West, Suite 240, Room 2.133, 1 Hoppin Street, Providence, RI 02903, 401-444-5404, MToloushams@Lifespan.org, Kellie Dyslin, BA, Department of Research, Howard Brown Health Center, 4025 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60613, David McKirnan, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W. Harrison Street, M/C 285, Chicago, IL 60607, Laura Hosto, MSEd, LCPC, Department of Behavioral Health, Howard Brown Health Center, 4025 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60613, and Linda Lesondak, PhD, Director of Evaluation, Chicago Department of Public Health, 330 S. State Street, Room 200, Chicago, IL 60604.

Research indicates that lesbians and bisexual women report intimate partner violence (IPV) as frequently as heterosexual women. Yet, little is known about the demographic and psychosocial correlates of IPV among lesbians and bisexual women. More research is needed to inform the development of successful, culturally relevant anti-violence interventions for this population. Women completed anonymous surveys including self-report measures of demographics, depression, social support, alcohol/drug history, and lifetime physical/sexual/psychological abuse (n=628). Overall, 60% (n=377) of respondents reported abuse, 237/377 (63%) reported IPV, and 148/237 (63%) reported same-sex IPV. Lesbian/bisexual women reported similar rates of IPV as heterosexual women [37% versus 44%, ÷2 (1, N=618)= 2.04, ns.]. IPV survivors had more depressive symptoms (M=2.11 versus M=1.97, t (618) = 3.22, p <.01) greater social support (M=3.76 versus M=3.48, t (620) = 2.73, p < .01), were more likely to have been in alcohol/drug treatment [47% versus 35%, ÷2 (1, N=544)= 4.67, p <.05], and less likely to be employed [36% versus 64%, ÷2 (1, N=611)= 5.16, p<.05] than non-victims. A logistic regression model including employment, depression, alcohol/drug treatment, and social support indicated that employment and alcohol/drug treatment were no longer significant independent predictors of IPV when accounting for depression and social support. In sum, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual women reported equally high rates of IPV, replicating previous findings. Depression and social support are associated with IPV above and beyond demographics and substance use. Understanding more about depression, support systems, and their interaction in this population will inform successful prevention and care efforts.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the prevalence of different types of intimate partner violence among African American and European American lesbian and bisexual women.
• Consider demographic and psychosocial factors related to intimate partner violence among women of varying sexual orientation.
• Consider the policy and intervention implications of these relationships.

Keywords: Domestic Violence, Lesbian

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.