NCJ Number
218372
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: 2007 Pages: 189-204
Date Published
2007
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study compared lifetime quality of life for men victimized by violence (n=353) with men not victimized by violence.
Abstract
Victims of violence were more likely than nonvictims to report a lower quality of life, as defined by social relations, physical health, and psychological health. Victims' higher levels of unemployment, financial strain, smoking, depression, and experience of violence were independently linked with reduced quality of life. Being blue-collar and a white-collar worker at low and intermediate levels of employment were related to increased quality of life. Unemployment may involve a reduction in financial security and a loss of social networks. It is also possible that victims had difficulties associated with the violence, such as the costs of health care. Smoking was independently related to lower quality of life. Victims developed regular smoking patterns, required increasing nicotine levels to maintain their positive feelings, and began craving cigarettes. Among all subjects, but particularly among victims, depression was independently linked with decreased quality of life. Social support was independently linked to increased quality of life among all subjects, especially among victims. These findings can be useful in developing strategies for addressing the problems of men who have been victims of violence. The subjects were 520 randomly selected men from Sweden's general population who were living in Stockholm County. Participants completed a 22-page questionnaire with scales that assessed a range of variables from demographics to depression. In the multiple regression analyses, the focus was on quality of life as the dependent variable, and demographics/socioeconomics, financial strain, smoking, drinking, depression, social support, and the experience of lifetime/home/public violence as the independent variables. 5 tables and 77 references