title: Domestic violence in South Australia: a population survey of males and females.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the self-reported prevalence of domestic violence in South Australian adults and to examine the associated risk factors, demographic factors and related health issues using computer-aided telephone interviewing (CATI) methodology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative random sample of South Australian adults aged 18 years and over selected from the Electronic White Pages. Overall, 6,004 interviews were completed (73.1% response rate).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 17.8% of adults in South Australia reported some form of domestic violence by a current or an ex-partner. Demographic factors such as low household income, unemployment or part-time employment and health variables such as poor to fair self-reported health status and alcohol abuse problems were found to have a significant relationship with domestic violence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately one in five South Australian adults report physical and emotional abuse from current or ex-partners, of whom the majority are women who are separated, divorced or never married and on lower incomes. Telephone interviewing is a cost-effective method of identifying prevalence estimates of domestic violence when compared with data collection by way of police reports or hospital emergency statistics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Domestic violence is a serious public health concern often 'hidden' by the lack of appropriate data. This study has shown that domestic violence is frequent and has important social, economic and health consequences.
authors.affiliation: Population Research and Outcome Studies, Department of Human Services, South Australia. eleonora.dalgrande@dhs.sa.gov.au
authors.forename: Eleonora Dal
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hickling
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Woollacott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data