title: Post-traumatic stress disorder and health-related quality of life in female victims of intimate partner violence.
abstract: The association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and health-related quality of life (QOL) in female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) was examined. The Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to evaluate health-related QOL. IPV victims with PTSD (IPV/PTSD+; n = 18), IPV victims without PTSD (IPV/PTSD-; n = 22), and a non-abused control group (NA; n = 30) were compared. Multiple Analyses of Covariance (covarying for socioeconomic status and age) indicated that the three groups scored significantly differently on health-related QOL, and the IPV/PTSD- group was significantly more impaired than the NA group. IPV/PTSD+ subjects were significantly more impaired than IPV/PTSD- subjects on physical functioning, mental health, vitality, role limitations due to emotional health, and social functioning. Multiple regression analyses indicated that PTSD severity was a significant statistical predictor of SF-36 mental health composite scores (but not of physical health composite scores), after controlling for depressive symptomatology and extent of physical and psychological abuse.
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Charlene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laffaye
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Murray B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*