Adding insult to injury: intimate partner violence among women and men reporting activity limitations.
OBJECTIVE
Women with activity limitations (ALs) are at risk for Intimate partner violence (IPV). This study examined IPV in men versus women with ALs.


METHODS
Data from the Canadian 1999 General Social Survey compared physical, sexual, emotional, and financial IPV from a current/expartner in 5 years for men and women with ALs compared with those without ALs. Logistic regression examined sex differences in IPV among those with ALs, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.


RESULTS
Rates of physical (11.9% versus 7.8%; p < 0.0001), sexual (3.5% versus 1.4%; p < 0.0001), emotional (27.1% versus 17.7%; p < 0.0001), and financial (7.5% versus 3.4%; p < 0.0001) IPV were greater in women with compared with without ALs. A similar pattern was seen for men, with greater rates of physical (9.2% versus 6.6%; p = 0.006), emotional (22.6% versus 18.2%; p = 0.002), and financial (2.6% versus 1.4%; p = 0.005) IPV in men with ALs than men without ALs. Risk factors for IPV included younger age, being divorced/separated or single, and having lower income and poorer health. Women with ALs were more likely than men to experience any IPV (29.1% versus 24.9%) and more severe and more incidents of IPV. In multivariable analysis, women were no longer at greater risk for "any IPV" after adjusting for sociodemographic variables (odds ratio = 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-1.36).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to document IPV rates in men with ALs. Women with ALs were more likely to be divorced/separated, living in poverty, and in poorer health than men with ALs. These factors accounted for sex differences in IPV rates.
Cohen
Marsha M
MM
Centre for Research in Women's Health, Sunnybrook and Women's Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Canada.
Forte
Tonia
T
Du Mont
Janice
J
Hyman
Ilene
I
Romans
Sarah
S
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*