title: Severe physical violence and Black women's health and well-being.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the association between intimate partner violence and the mental and physical health status of US Caribbean Black and African American women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used 2001 to 2003 cross-sectional data from the National Survey of American Life-the most detailed study to date of physical and mental health disorders of Americans of African descent. We assessed participants' health conditions by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (Washington, DC; American Psychological Association) Composite International Diagnostic Interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found differences in health conditions between abused African American and Caribbean Black women. There were increased risks for lifetime dysthymia, alcohol dependence, drug abuse, and poor perceived health for African American victims of partner abuse, and binge eating disorder was associated with partner violence among Caribbean Black women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe intimate partner violence was associated with negative mental and physical health outcomes for US Black women, with different patterns between African American and Caribbean Blacks. Understanding intimate partner violence experiences of US Black women requires recognition of key intragroup differences, including nativity and immigrant status, and their differential relationships to women's health.
authors.affiliation: Krim K. Lacey, Niki Matsuko, and James S. Jackson are with the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Karen Powell Sears is with Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Denison University, Granville, OH.
authors.forename: Krim K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Lacey
authors.forename: Karen Powell
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matusko
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult