[The protective role of social support and intimate partner violence].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the relationship between the presence of social support and overall support from different sources and intimate partner violence in women attending primary care centers irrespective of reason.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional survey in 1,402 women aged 18 to 65 years old, randomly selected from 23 primary health practices in the autonomous communities of Andalusia, Madrid and Valencia (Spain) in 2003. The information on sociodemographic characteristics, physical, psychological and sexual intimate partner violence, and social support was gathered using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire.


RESULTS
Thirty-two percent of the women stated they had been abused by a partner (physically, psychologically or sexually) at some time in their lives. Women who reported having social support had a 89% lower probability of having been abused by a partner at some time than women who reported not having social support (odds ratio [OR] = 0.11; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 0.06-0.20). Among women who reported abuse by a partner in the past, those who stated they had social support had a lower probability of being abused again by a different partner than those who had no social support (OR = 0.14; 95%CI: 0.05-0.37).


CONCLUSIONS
The cross-sectional design of this study does not allow us to determine whether lack of social support increases women's vulnerability to being abused, or whether social isolation is a consequence of partner abuse. Nevertheless, interventions in women experiencing abuse by their partners should aim to reestablish their social networks.
Plazaola-Castaño
Juncal
J
Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, Granada, España.
Ruiz-Pérez
Isabel
I
Montero-Piñar
María Isabel
MI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult