[Domestic violence as a factor associated to women's health problems].
OBJECTIVE
To study the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on women's physical and psychological health.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Primary care centers in 3 Andalusian provinces.


METHODS
A total of 425 women, aged 18 to 65 years, were recruited following the same randomisation process in 6 primary care centers.


METHODS
A self-administered structured questionnaire for this study was used to gather the information. As well as sociodemographic variables, the instrument included questions about IPV, physical health indicators (chronic disease and type, lifetime surgeries, days in bed), psychological health (psychological morbidity, use of tranquilizers, antidepressants, pain killers, alcohol and recreational drugs), self-perceived health and social support.


RESULTS
Of 425 women, 31.5% ever experienced any type of partner violence. Women experiencing IPV were more likely to suffer a chronic disease. IPV was significantly associated with a number of adverse health outcomes, including spending more than 7 days in bed in the last three months (ORa=2.96; CI 95%, 1.00-8.76), psychological morbidity (ORa=2.68; CI 95%, 1.60-4.49) and worse self-perceived health (ORa=1.89; CI 95%, 1.04-3.43), after controlling for potential confounding variables.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that ever experiencing IPV is associated with a worse psychological and self-perceived health. Physical injuries are not the only "evidence" of the presence of IPV. Primary health care professionals are in a privileged position to help women who are abused by their partners.
Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain.
L
L
Raya Ortega
I
I
Ruiz Pérez
J
J
Plazaola Castaño
S
S
Brun López-Abisab
D
D
Rueda Lozano
L
L
García de Vinuesa
J M
JM
González Barranco
L M
LM
Garralon Ruiz
M
M
Arnalte Barrera
B
B
Lahoz Rallo
M D
MD
Acemel Hidalgo
M P
MP
Carmona Molina
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016387:Women's Health