Gender disparities in self-reported fear of an intimate partner

Adding to research on gender disparities in intimate partner violence (IPV), this study examines one aspect of psychological IPV (self-reported fear) and its correlates in a population-based sample of urban men and women. We analyzed pooled data on 9,687 men and 13,903 women ages 18-64 collected in 2002, 2004 and 2005 through random-digit-dial surveys of 10,000 New Yorkers. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine gender-specific associations between IPV and sociodemographic and health factors. There was no significant difference in the age-adjusted prevalence of reported fear of a partner between men (2.2%) and women (2.7%), but multivariate analyses found similarities and differences among risk factors. Among women, fear was correlated with separated marital status, no health insurance, English-language interview, fair/ poor health status, and binge drinking. An interaction between number of sexual partners and household income showed the strongest association with fear to be among low-income women with multiple partners (OR=11.1; CI: 5.2, 23.6). In the men-only model, separated marital status and multiple sexual partners were correlated with fear, and an interaction between binge drinking and household income showed a strong association between binge drinking and fear among low-income men (OR=7.4; CI: 3.1, 17.4). IPV is a health concern for both men and women, but with differing profiles and implications for public health practice. Sexual risk behavior appears a particularly effective marker for IPV screening among low-income women; among men, identification of alcohol misuse could indicate a need for discussion about IPV.