Association Between Intimate Partner Violence and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Population-Based Study in Nicaragua

• NCJ Number: 231529
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 16 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2010 Pages: 832-845
• Author(s): Sylvia Becker-Dreps; Douglas Morgan; Rodolfo Pena; Loreto Cortes; Christopher F. Martin; Eliette Valladares
• Date Published: July 2010
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the relationship between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and intimate partner violence in a non-White, non-industrialized population in Nicaragua.

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disabling functional gastrointestinal disorder, which serves as a model for abdominal pain syndromes. An association between intimate partner violence and IBS has been shown among White women in the industrialized world. To determine whether this relationship transcends cultural boundaries, we conducted a population-based, cross-sectional survey in Nicaragua using the innovative Health and Demographic Surveillance System in the León province. Women who had experienced physical intimate partner violence had significantly increased risk of IBS (odds ratio [OR] = 2.08; 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 1.35, 3.21), as did those who had experienced sexual intimate partner violence (OR = 2.85; 95 percent CI = 1.45, 5.59). These findings argue for intimate partner violence screening among Latina women with IBS. Figure, tables, and references (Published Abstract)