Cited by 1,166Intimate Partner and Family ViolenceChild Abuse and TraumaElder Abuse and Neglect

Physical health consequences of physical and psychological intimate partner violence

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Coker, A. L.·2000·Archives of Family Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Past studies that have addressed the health effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) have defined IPV as violence based on physical blows that frequently cause injuries. To our knowledge, no epidemiologic research has assessed the physical health consequences of psychological forms of IPV. OBJECTIVE: To estimate IPV prevalence by type and associated physical health consequences among women seeking primary health care. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1152 women, aged 18 to 65 years, recruited from family practice clinics from February 1997 through January 1999 and screened for IPV during a brief in-clinic interview; health history and current status were assessed in a follow-up interview. RESULTS: Of 1152 women surveyed, 53.6% ever experienced any type of partner violence; 13.6% experienced psychological IPV without physical IPV. Women experiencing psychological IPV were significantly more likely to report poor physical and mental health (adjusted relative risk [RR], 1.69 for physical health and 1.74 for mental health). Psychological IPV was associated with a number of adverse health outcomes, including a disability preventing work (adjusted RR, 1.49), arthritis (adjusted RR, 1.67), chronic pain (adjusted RR, 1.91), migraine (adjusted RR, 1.54) and other frequent headaches (adjusted RR, 1.41), stammering (adjusted RR, 2.31), sexually transmitted infections (adjusted RR, 1.82), chronic pelvic pain (adjusted RR, 1.62), stomach ulcers (adjusted RR, 1.72), spastic colon (adjusted RR, 3.62), and frequent indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation (adjusted RR, 1.30). Psychological IPV was as strongly associated with the majority of adverse health outcomes as was physical IPV. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological IPV has significant physical health consequences. To reduce the range of health consequences associated with IPV, clinicians should screen for psychological forms of IPV as well as physical and sexual IPV.

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  • Violence is associated with dysmenorrhea/irregular menstrual cycles, particularly for sexual or physical violence.

    “John and colleagues [92] and Letourneau and colleagues [93] found an association between violence and dysmenorrhea/irregular menstrual cycles, in particular for sexual or physical violence [94]”

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Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Freund KM. Domestic violence. In: Carre TL, Freund KM, Somam S, eds. The Medical Care of Women. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 1995:722.
  2. Stark E, Flitcraft AZ, Zuckerman D, Grey A, Robinson J, Frazier W. Wife abuse in the medical setting. Domest Violence Monogram Ser. 1981;7:7-41.
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Authors
Coker, A. L.
Affiliations
University of South Carolina (US)
Corresponding author
Coker, A. L.
Venue
Archives of Family Medicine
Published
2000-05-01
Volume
9
Issue
5
Pages
451-457
ISSN
1063-3987 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2088443563
Cited by
1,166
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 84 · 2019: 62 · 2018: 49 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 55 · 2015: 57 · 2014: 58 · 2013: 58 · 2012: 56
FWCI
21.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Archives of Family Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • NC Digital Online Collection of Knowledge and Scholarship (The University of North Carolina at Greensboro) (submittedVersion)
  • UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • University of South Carolina
  • U.S. Public Health Service (R49 CCR412752)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Elder Abuse and Neglect
Keywords
intimate partner violence, psychological violence, physical abuse, women's health, chronic pain, arthritis, migraine, sexually transmitted infections, pelvic pain, disability, mental health, IPV screening, primary care
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Domestic Violence

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