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

Abstract #114408

Peggy Riley, RN, MSN, College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, #539 CON/HSLC, Lexington, KY 40536-0232, 859-254-0165, parile2@uky.edu

Purpose: To present preliminary findings from an ongoing integrative literature review of cultural influences on domestic violence in Eastern Kentucky, specifically the Kentucky River Area Development District (KRADD) area. Significance of Problem: Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury among women ages of 15-54. Annually, in the U.S., 2.5 million women sustain injuries as a direct result of domestic violence. Kentucky reported 12,192 cases of domestic violence in 1999, with 594 of those cases being in the KRADD region of the state. Preliminary Findings: Strong family and land ties may prevent the domestic violence victim from reporting the abuse or attempting to leave an abusive relationship. Tradition gender roles are being displaced due to unemployment. These cultural factors, along with social and economic impacts related to poverty can create an atmosphere conducive to domestic abuse. Approximately 48.2% of Kentucky is rural. Rural regions may be isolated 20-30 miles from the nearest town making accessibility to police, shelters, and/or medical assistance nearly impossible. Research on rural dwelling populations has indicated the following risk factors for domestic violence: poverty, unemployment, alcohol/drug abuse, low educational attainment, pregnancy (particularly teen pregnancy) and victims of childhood abuse.

Learning Objectives: