Thursday, September 26, 2002

This presentation is part of : Violence: Symptoms and Consequences

Intimate Partner Violence and Physical and Mental Health Consequences among Active Duty Military Women

Jacquelyn C. Campbell, RN, PhD, FAAN, Anna D. Wolf Endowed professor, associate dean for PhD program and research1, Mary Garza, JHUSPH1, Andrea Carlson Gielen, ScD, ScM, professor, JHUSPH1, Patricia O'Campo, PhD, professor, JHUSPH1, Joan Kub, RN, PhD, associate professor, JHUSPH1, Jacqueline Dienemann, RN, PhD, FAAN, professor2, Alison Snow Jones, PhD3, Anne B. Woods, CNM1, and Patricia Modrow, MD4. (1) School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, (2) School of Nursing, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NY, USA, (3) Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA, (4) U.S. Army, USA

Objective: To identify prevalence of intimate partner violence, risk factors and health outcomes among a sample of active duty military women

Design: Cross-sectional, comparative, descriptive design

Population, Sample, Setting, Years: Telephone survey of active duty and a comparison group of civilian women between 21 and 55 years of age in the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. These results are from the sample of 616 active duty military women.

Concept or Variables: lifetime and current intimate partner violence, demographic risk factors, physical and mental health outcomes

Methods: Descriptive and Chi-square statistics; Multivariate logistic regression techniques

Findings: In the sample of active duty military women from the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area, 29.9% reported adult lifetime intimate partner violence (IPV), defined as physical and/or sexual assault from a current or former intimate partner. Lifetime prevalence of any abuse (including emotional abuse and stalking) was 44.3%. For 21.6% of the women, IPV occurred while they were in the military. Risk factors for IPV (both lifetime and while in military) from multivariate logistic regression were separated or divorced marital status (OR=5.23, 6.17 respectively) and widowed (OR=3.57, 4.57); and having one child (OR=2.12, 2.49) or 3 or more children (OR=2.72, 3.34) (no children as referent group) and being enlisted personnel rather than officers (OR=2.77, 2.45). African American women were significantly less likely to be abused during military service than were white women, but ethnic group membership was not a risk factor for lifetime abuse. Active duty military IPV victims reported significantly poorer health overall health and significantly more gynecological, stress and mental health symptoms. Specifically, they reported significantly more back pain, vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, painful intercourse, STD’s, abdominal pain, digestive problems and loss of appetite. These prevalence rates, risk factors and health outcomes were similar to a demographically comparable civilian sample from the same geographic area.

Conclusions: The findings provide evidence that IPV is an important health problem for active duty military as well as civilian women.

Implications: The impact of IPV on active duty military women’s health may seriously impact readiness. It is important that all women, active duty and civilian, are routinely screened for IPV.

Research Supported by R01 DAMD17-96-1-6310, US Army Medical Research

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