Health outcomes in women with physical and sexual intimate partner violence exposure

To examine health in women with exposure to physical intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual IPV or sexual and physical IPV and the added health burden of sexual IPV. Randomly sampled insured women (2876) completed a telephone interview to assess lifetime exposure to physical IPV only, sexual IPV only, or physical and sexual IPV (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) and current health (SF-36, Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression, Presence of Symptoms surveys). We compared the health of women with physical IPV, sexual IPV, or both physical and sexual IPV with the health of non-abused women. We then compared the health of women with sexual IPV only or physical and sexual IPV with the health of women with physical IPV only. Compared to non-abused women, adverse health was observed for women with sexual IPV exposure (with or without physical IPV). SF-36 scores ranged from 4.28 to 6.22 points lower for women with sexual IPV, 4.95 to 5.81 points lower for women with physical and sexual IPV, and 2.41 to 2.87 points lower for women with physical IPV. Prevalence ratios (PR) for depressive and severe depressive symptoms were: sexual IPV (2.45 and 3.06), sexual and physical IPV (2.31 and 2.93), and physical IPV (1.64 and 1.90). Women with physical and sexual IPV had more symptoms, and compromised physical health. Compared to women with physical IPV only, women with sexual IPV or physical and sexual IPV had lower SF-36 scores and increased depression (49%-61% and 41%-54% increase). Sexual IPV exposure was associated with adverse health.