Intimate partner violence and risk for asthma in a population-based sample of women

Background:

Recent research suggests that psychosocial stressors such as chronic exposure to violence may partially explain social disparities in asthma among children in the United States. However, little is known about the influence of violence on asthma morbidity among adult women.

Objective:

To determine whether intimate partner violence (IPV) is independently associated with asthma in a population-based sample of women in the United States.

Methods:

Data from the nationally representative Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) was used. Nine U.S. states that completed an IPV module in 2005 were included in the analyses (N=27,641). Weighted multiple logistic regression models were used to determine whether history of IPV (physical and sexual) is independently associated with current asthma prevalence. The analyses were repeated with five states where household smoking policy and population density data were available.

Results:

After adjusting for age, race, education, income, marital status, body mass index, and smoking history, asthma risk remained higher for women who experienced physical IPV (OR=1.52; 95% CI=1.26, 1.83) and sexual IPV (OR=1.73; 95% CI=1.38, 2.18). Additional control for household smoking policies and state population density in five states, did not alter the relationship between asthma and partner violence.

Discussion:

Our results suggest that intimate partner violence is an unrecognized risk factor for asthma risk among adult women. Future studies should evaluate the IPV-asthma link prospectively and should continue to explore the stress-induced mechanisms that may contribute to asthma expression.