Health and Intimate Partner Violence

Physical and sexual violence against women is a public health problem of epidemic proportions. Three to four million women in the United States are battered by their former or current partners annually (reported) and children raised in domestic violence households are at risk to continue the cycle of violence.

Medical practitioners are often the first or the only professionals to come into contact with individuals who have been abused, placing them in a unique opportunity to intervene.

A Link to Chronic Disease

People who are victimized by their partners are more likely to experience negative health outcomes, such as chronic pain, asthma, difficulty sleeping, frequent headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and increased risk of chronic conditions such as asthma, arthritis, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. Chronic stress also activates immune system pathways that can lead to autoimmune disorders and cancer and also increases behavioral coping strategies such as smoking and other substance use that contribute to poor health. IPV has also been associated with increased risks of obstetrical and gynecologic complications, pregnancy-associated death, preterm birth, and low birth weight. A study of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) found that there is a strong relationship between exposure to child abuse and the witnessing of IPV, which is a leading cause of death in adults, as IPV not only raises health risks for the survivor, but also the children who are secondary survivors.

Since 1992, the Joint Commission (JCAHO) has required that all accredited hospitals implement policies and procedures in emergency and ambulatory care facilities for identifying, treating, and referring victims of domestic abuse.