title: Health indicators, social support, and intimate partner violence among women utilizing services at a community organization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a significant public health concern. This study examines the physical and mental health status and relationship to social support for women seeking services to end IPV at a walk-in community organization that serves the community at large, including a shelter for abused women.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred seventeen (117) English-speaking women between the ages of 18 and 61 years participated in a self-administered survey. Physical, mental, and oral health, social support, and IPV homicide lethality were measured using standardized instruments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Social support was the most important factor related to better health. The participants who had more social support reported better physical (p < .05), mental (p < .01), and oral health (p < .05), and a lower level of psychological distress (p < .01) and depression (p < .01) compared with participants who reported less social support. The participants living in the shelter reported worse physical health (p < .05) but better mental health (p < .05) than the participants not living in a shelter. Older age and low income were related to oral health problems, whereas older age, low education level, and unemployment were related to poor mental health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study adds to the evidence that social support contributes to improving physical and mental health for women who experience IPV. The findings also suggest the importance of providing or referring women to mental health services.
authors: Department of Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA. akiko.kamimura@utah.edu
authors: Akiko
authors: A
authors: Kamimura
authors: Asha
authors: A
authors: Parekh
authors: Lenora M
authors: LM
authors: Olson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult