Profiling risk of fear of an intimate partner among men and women.
OBJECTIVE
Fear of a partner, a component of intimate partner violence (IPV), can be used in clinical IPV assessment. This study examines correlates of fear in a population-based, urban sample to inform a gender-specific health care response to IPV.


METHODS
This study used pooled data on 9687 men and 13,903 women collected in 2002, 2004 and 2005 through three random-digit-dial surveys of New York City adults. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were used to examine associations between fear and sociodemographic and health-related factors.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in age-adjusted prevalence of reported fear of a partner between women (2.7%) and men (2.2%). In multivariable analysis, fear was correlated with being female, younger age, divorced or separated marital status, poor self-reported health status, and multiple sex partners. The most striking gender difference was in the stronger association with multiple sex partners among women (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]=6.2; p<0.01). Binge drinking was correlated with fear only among low-income adults (aOR=2.8; p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
IPV is a health concern for both men and women, and a risk profile for fear can guide IPV assessment in health care. Physicians should consider multiple sex partners in women and alcohol misuse in low-income patients as potential markers for IPV.
Olson
E Carolyn
EC
Division of Epidemiology, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street, Room 315, CN #6, New York, NY 10013, USA. colson@health.nyc.gov
Kerker
Bonnie D
BD
McVeigh
Katharine H
KH
Stayton
Catherine
C
Wye
Gretchen Van
GV
Thorpe
Lorna
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult