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Trajectories for women who disclose intimate partner violence in health care settings: the key role of abuse severity

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives

To examine the role of abuse severity in predicting women’s trajectories in mental and physical health and psychological quality of life during the 18 months following abuse identification in a health care setting.

Methods

The present analysis used growth curve modeling in a sample of 411 women positive for abuse on the Composite Abuse Scale.

Results

A high proportion of women experienced severe combined abuse (SCA; 55 % at baseline and 29 % at 18 months). On average, there was an improvement in depressive symptoms and psychological quality of life over time. Controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, women scoring positive versus negative for SCA experienced increased depressive symptoms and decreased quality of life; however, exposure to severe abuse did not affect the rate of change over time in these outcomes. Severe abuse was not associated with physical health.

Conclusions

There is an important association between abuse severity and women’s health and well-being over time. Understanding the role of different abuse experiences, risk and protective factors, and trajectories can assist in more accurate identification and appropriate care provision for women exposed to IPV.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by funds from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) and Institute of Neurosciences Mental Health and Addictions (INMHA) to PreVAiL (Centre for Research Development in Gender, Mental Health and Violence across the Lifespan). Michael Boyle is Canada Research Chair in the Social Determinants of Child Health. Marilyn Ford-Gilboe holds the Women’s Health Research Chair in Rural Health from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Harriet MacMillan holds the David R. (Dan) Offord Chair in Child Studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University, North Campus Building, Rm 240, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

    C. Nadine Wathen & Jennifer C. D. MacGregor

  2. Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Masako Tanaka, Mark A. Ferro, Christine McKee, Michael Boyle & Harriet L. MacMillan

  3. School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada

    Marilyn Ford-Gilboe

  4. Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children, Western University, London, ON, Canada

    C. Nadine Wathen & Jennifer C. D. MacGregor

Authors
  1. C. Nadine Wathen
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  2. Masako Tanaka
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  3. Jennifer C. D. MacGregor
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  4. Mark A. Ferro
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  5. Christine McKee
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  6. Michael Boyle
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  7. Marilyn Ford-Gilboe
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  8. Harriet L. MacMillan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. Nadine Wathen.

Additional information

This article is part of the special issue “Violence and Health: Implications of the 2030 Agenda for South-North Collaboration”.

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Wathen, C.N., Tanaka, M., MacGregor, J.C.D. et al. Trajectories for women who disclose intimate partner violence in health care settings: the key role of abuse severity. Int J Public Health 61, 873–882 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-016-0852-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-016-0852-6

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