文章基本信息

标题：Severe Physical Violence and Black Women’s Health and Well-Being
本地全文：下载
作者：Krim K. Lacey ; Karen Powell Sears ; Niki Matusko 等
期刊名称：American journal of public health
印刷版ISSN：0090-0036
出版年度：2015
卷号：105
期号：4
页码：719-724
DOI：10.2105/AJPH.2014.301886
语种：English
出版社：American Public Health Association
摘要：Objectives. 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. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem that has devastating consequences for the health and well-being of women. 1 Nearly 28% of women in the United States have experienced IPV. 2 The risk is heightened for Black women, with an estimated 4 in 10 experiencing physical abuse by a partner in their lifetimes. 2 The long- and short-term effects of partner violence may be greater for women within this population, who not only experience violence at much higher rates than do other ethnic groups (e.g., White, Hispanic) 1,3–9 but also are exposed to external factors and social conditions that increase their chances for poorer outcomes. 4,9–14 Previous studies have indicated that associated mental conditions of IPV include depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, suicide, and tendencies for substance use (both legal and illegal). 15–27 Along with these possible mental disorders, IPV victims are prone to physical health problems, such as increased risk for back, limb, gastrointestinal, stomach, and gynecological problems. 22,28–31 Despite the various health problems that are associated with IPV toward women in general, research devoted to understanding the influences on US Black women is limited. 19,32–34 The few studies conducted have primarily used unstructured clinical assessment and are determined by clinical and community-based samples. 33,35 Studies using national samples and structured clinical tools are rare, limiting valid assessments and definitive statements on the resulting effects of IPV on women within this population. In addition to these shortcomings, previous research has typically aggregated Blacks into a single category, which may obscure key intragroup differences. 5,11,36 This is especially problematic because groups may have culturally distinct behaviors, practices, and experiences that may exacerbate certain health conditions or, conversely, serve as protective factors. Evidence suggests that health conditions may vary according to race and ethnicity. 10,13,28,37–39 These differences, in particular, have become more apparent between African Americans and Caribbean Blacks. 40 To date, however, we have less knowledge about the differences in health outcomes that may exist among abused women within these populations. Importantly, the impact of IPV on the health and well-being of US Caribbean women, one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States, 41 has not been explored in depth. We addressed 2 underlying questions: (1) What are the associations between IPV, mental health disorders, and the physical health of African American and US Caribbean Black women? and (2) Are there differences in health outcomes between abused African American and US Caribbean Black women?