NCJ Number
200769
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 18 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2003 Pages: 227-238
Date Published
April 2003
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article examines the association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and health-related quality of life (QOL) in female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Abstract
Previous research has indicated that female victims of IPV are at heightened risk for developing PTSD. Further research has shown that PTSD is associated with decreased health-related QOL. As such, the authors hypothesized that health-related QOL would be affected in female victims of IPV when compared to non-abused women. Furthermore, the authors expected that female victims of IPV who experienced PTSD would have the highest degree of health-related QOL impairment. The authors administered the Short-Form Health Survey to 3 groups of participants: female IPV victims with PTSD (n=18), female victims of IPV without PTSD (n=22), and non-abused females (n=30). Results of multiple analyses of covariance revealed that, consistent with expectations, the three groups scored significantly differently on health-related QOL. The participants with both IPV and PTSD were significantly more impaired on physical functioning, mental health, vitality, emotional health, and social functioning than were the other two groups. Furthermore, the participants with IPV but no PTSD scored higher on these measures than did the non-abused control group. Results of multiple regression analysis further revealed that the severity of the PTSD was a significant predictor of mental health, after controlling for depression and the severity of physical and psychological abuse. The authors assert that, given their findings, it is imperative to identify those women who suffer from IPV in order to provide interventions necessary for the prevention of PTSD and health-related QOL impairment. Tables, references