title: Intimate partner violence victimization among women veterans and associated heart health risks.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. CVD risk factors, including depression, smoking, heavy drinking, being overweight, and physical inactivity, are associated with stress and may be linked to women's experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. We know little about IPV and CVD risk factors among veteran women. The purpose of this study was to identify the association between lifetime IPV victimization and CVD risk factors among women, accounting for veteran status.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 2006 for the eight states that included the IPV module. We explored the associations between veteran status and lifetime IPV victimization and between IPV exposure and CVD risk factors, for veteran and non-veteran women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Veteran women were more likely than non-veteran women to report lifetime IPV victimization (33.0% vs. 23.8%). IPV exposure was associated with depression, smoking, and heavy drinking. We did not find evidence for an association between IPV exposure and lack of exercise or being overweight or obese, when controlling for demographic characteristics and veteran status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women veterans have particularly high rates of lifetime IPV victimization. In addition, IPV victimization is associated with an increased risk of heart health risk factors. The findings suggest that we should attend to IPV exposure among veteran women and further investigate the link between IPV and military service, and the associated health impacts.
authors: Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. mdichter@sp2.upenn.edu
authors: Melissa E
authors: ME
authors: Dichter
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Cerulli
authors: Robert M
authors: RM
authors: Bossarte
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult