The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) recommends
screening female patients for intimate partner violence (IPV), yet few studies
inform IPV screening efforts among this population. This study examined the
proportion of women who experienced IPV within the past year and the
associations between IPV and depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
alcohol dependence, mental health multimorbidity (ie, 2 or 3 of these
conditions), and military sexual trauma (MST) among female veterans.
A cross-sectional mail survey of 160 female VHA patients
with an intimate partner within the past year was conducted in 2012 in New
England. Self-reported IPV was assessed using the Hurt, Insult, Threaten,
Scream screening tool. The survey also included validated screening measures of
depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), PTSD (PTSD
Checklist-Civilian), alcohol misuse (10-item Alcohol Use Disorders
Identification Test), and MST.
Approximately 37% of women reported IPV within the past year
on the Hurt, Insult, Threaten, Scream tool. Odds ratios for the associations
between reporting IPV and mental health outcomes ranged between 2.75 and 3.67.
With the exception of alcohol dependence, IPV remained strongly associated with
mental health conditions when adjusting for MST.
These findings can increase provider knowledge of the strong
connection between past-year IPV and mental health conditions among female
veterans. This may encourage IPV screening and facilitate appropriate
referrals, treatment conceptualization, and planning within the VHA and other
health care settings.
Full article at: http://goo.gl/F6YgNv
By:
- 1From the National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA (KMI, DV, SLC, AES); the Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (KMI, DV, AES); the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (MED); the National Center for PTSD, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA (RK); the Center for Innovation to Implementation, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA (RK); the Women's Health Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA (MRG); and the Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (MRG). katherine.iverson@va.gov.
- 2From the National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA (KMI, DV, SLC, AES); the Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (KMI, DV, AES); the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (MED); the National Center for PTSD, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA (RK); the Center for Innovation to Implementation, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA (RK); the Women's Health Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA (MRG); and the Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (MRG).
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