title: Prevalence of partner violence against 7,443 African American, White, and Hispanic women receiving care at urban public primary care clinics.
abstract: Given inconclusive findings regarding racial/ethnic differences in risk for intimate partner violence (IPV), this study will estimate annual prevalence and severity of IPV and associated risk factors of homicide among a multiethnic population of English- and Spanish-speaking African American, White, and Hispanic women receiving public primary health care. A personal interview survey was conducted using three measurement instruments including a brief two-question screen. The sample consisted of 7,443 women, aged 18-44 years, receiving care at urban, primary health care clinics in southern Texas. White women disclosed abuse at a rate of 8.9%, followed by African American women at 6.0% and Hispanic women at 5.3%. More abuse was reported by White and African American women compared to Hispanic women. Use of a brief two-question screen provides racial/ethnic specific surveillance data for patient care programming and can track progress toward decreasing violence against women.
authors.affiliation: Texas Woman's University, College of Nursing, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. jmcfarlane@twu.edu
authors.forename: Judith M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.forename: Janet Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Groff
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000208:ethnology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*