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

Abstract #115045

Catherine Stayton, DrPH, MPH¹, Sandeep R. Chaudhari, MS¹, and Carolyn Olson, MPH². (1) Bureau of Injury Epidemiology, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette Street, Box 6IE, New York, NY 10007, 212-442-0021, cstayton@health.nyc.gov, (2) Epidemiology Services, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street, New York, NY 10013

Compared with intimate partner violence (IPV) in adults, physical dating violence (PDV) in teens is understudied. IPV′s health consequences are well documented and far-reaching. This study describes PDV victimization and its behavioral health correlates among New York City (NYC) public high school students. In 2003, 7,390 NYC high school students were administered the Youth Risk Behavioral Survey. Associations between PDV and health behaviors were tested. Χ² tests assessed significance in two-way tables; Cochran-Mantel-Haenzel Χ² tests were used for three-way tables. Gender-specific multiple logistic regression models were fitted. Of NYC high school students, 7.3% reported PDV in the past year (6.9% of young women and 7.8% of young men). Compared to those not experiencing PDV, affected students had significantly increased behavioral and mental health risks. Among young women and men experiencing PDV, 31% and 17% reported attempting suicide, compared to 10% and 4% of unaffected young women and men (p<.001). 24% of young women and 20% of young men experiencing PDV reported both marijuana use and binge drinking, compared to less than 7% of those reporting no PDV (p<.001). Students experiencing PDV also reported higher levels of smoking, more sex partners, and less frequent condom use than other students, particularly among girls. PDV is prevalent among NYC′s young men and women and may be higher than IPV estimates in NYC adults. PDV appears to be associated with greater health risk among young women. Research on the gender-specific circumstances and consequences of PDV are needed to advance prevention efforts.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the prevalence of physical dating violence in New York City public high school students.
• Discuss the gender-specific behavioral health factors associated with physical dating violence in New York City’s public high school students.
• Generate hypotheses about gender differences in physical dating violence among youth in their own communities based on examination of population-based data.

Keywords: Violence, Adolescent Health

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.