Utilization of mental health treatment and other services by battered women in shelters.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the frequency and types of resources used by battered women in shelters, as well as factors that relate to greater use of mental health services and to seeking help from a greater number of resources.


METHODS
A total of 164 African-American (N=94) and white (N=70) battered women in two shelters were examined by using a series of clinical interviews and self-report measures that assessed posttraumatic stress disorder and other axis I pathology, mental health treatment and other service use, abuse severity, and lifetime trauma prevalence.


RESULTS
Results suggest that few of the women used available resources, especially mental health treatment, with African-American women less likely to use mental health treatment and criminal justice interventions. Additionally, possession of medical insurance and a greater number of types of prior trauma were significantly associated with greater help seeking.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings highlight the need for identifying barriers to battered women's access to resources, as well as the importance of assisting them in obtaining medical coverage.
Summa-Kent State Center for the Treatment and Study of Traumatic Stress, Summa Health System, Akron, OH 44310, USA. johnsod@summa-health.org
Dawn M
DM
Johnson
Caron
C
Zlotnick
D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007348:Insurance, Health; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011638:Public Housing; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States