An intervention to increase safety behaviors of abused women: results of a randomized clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Although intimate partner violence is recognized as a major threat to women's health, few interventions have been developed or tested.


OBJECTIVE
To test an intervention administered to abused women in order to increase safety-seeking behaviors.


METHODS
A two-group clinical trial randomized 75 abused women to receive six telephone intervention sessions on safety behaviors. A control group of 75 women received standard care. Women in both groups were re-interviewed at 3 months and 6 months post-initial measurement.


RESULTS
Using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), we found significantly [F (2,146) 5.11, =.007] more adopted safety behaviors reported by women in the intervention group than by women in the control group at both the 3-month [F (91,74) = 19.70, <.001] and 6-month [F (1,74) = 15.90, <.001] interviews. The effect size (ES) of the intervention was large at 3 months (ES = 1.5) and remained substantial at 6 months (ES = 0.56).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate that an intervention to increase safety behaviors of abused women is highly effective when offered following an abusive incident and remains effective for 6 months.
McFarlane
Judith
J
Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, College of Nursing, Texas Woman's University, 1130 John Freeman Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA. jmcfarlane@twu.edu
Malecha
Ann
A
Gist
Julia
J
Watson
Kathy
K
Batten
Elizabeth
E
Hall
Iva
I
Smith
Sheila
S
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018585:Battered Women / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors