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Cited by 75Intimate Partner and Family ViolenceElder Abuse and NeglectSexual Assault and Victimization Studies

Patterns and Predictors of Service Use Among Women Who Have Separated from an Abusive Partner

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Ford-Gilboe, Marilyn, Varcoe, Colleen, Noh, Marianne, Wuest, Judith, Hammerton, Joanne, Alhalal, Eman, Burnett, Camille·2015·Journal of Family Violence
DOI 10.1007/s10896-015-9688-8PMC PMC4412644
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Abstract

Using baseline data from a survey of 309 Canadian women recently separated from an abusive partner, we investigated patterns of access to health, social, legal, and violence-specific services and whether abuse history and social and health variables predict service use. We compared rates of service use to population rates, and used logistic regression to identify determinants of use. Service use rates were substantially higher than population estimates in every category, particularly in general and mental health sectors. Although women were confident in their ability to access services, they reported substantial unmet need, difficulty accessing services, and multiple barriers. The strongest unique predictors of use varied across service type. Health variables (high disability chronic pain, symptoms of depression and PTSD), low income, and mothering were the most consistent predictors. Service providers and policy makers must account for social location, abuse history, and health status of Intimate Violence (IPV) survivors. Strategies to enhance access to primary health care services, and to create a system of more integrated, accessible services, are required.

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  • Survivors experience adverse physical health consequences relating to both physical injury and somatization of stress, including traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, reproductive health, neuroendocrine alterations, and epigenetic changes.

    “Survivors experience adverse physical health consequences relating to both physical injury and somatization of stress, including traumatic brain injury (Valera et al., 2021), chronic pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, reproductive health, neuroendocrine alterations and epigenetic changes (Ford-Gilboe et al., 2011; Ford-Gilboe et al., 2015).”

    From Post‐separation abuse: A concept analysis (2023) · cites this paper as Ford-Gilboe et al., 2015

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports chronic disabling pain among women who had separated from abusive partners and describes an association between PTSD or depressive symptoms and chronic pain. It does not address gastrointestinal symptoms, reproductive health, neuroendocrine alterations, or epigenetic changes. The traumatic brain injury item is separately cited to Valera et al. and is not judged here. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

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Authors
Ford-Gilboe, M., Varcoe, C., Noh, M., Wuest, J., Hammerton, J., Alhalal, E., & Burnett, C.
Affiliations
  • University of British Columbia (CA)
  • Western University (CA)
  • University of New Brunswick (CA)
  • University of Virginia (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Family Violence
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2015-03-18
Volume
30
Issue
4
Pages
419-431
ISSN
  • 0885-7482 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-2851
DOI
10.1007/s10896-015-9688-8
PMC
PMC4412644
OpenAlex
W2145703033
Cited by
75
References
12
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6
FWCI
9.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Family Violence (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Scholarship@Western (Western University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Elder Abuse and Neglect
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
Keywords
intimate partner violence, service utilization, women survivors, separation from abusive partner, health care access, mental health services, unmet needs, access barriers, chronic pain, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, low income, maternal care, predictors of service use, integrated service system

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