#96 Social stressors in relation to intimate partner violence against native american women

Abstract

Abstract PURPOSE: To identify associations between various social stressors and intimate partner violence (IPV) against Native American women. METHODS: A cross-sectional, in-person interview study was conducted with 431 low-income Native American women 14 through 45 years of age. Participants included Native women (79.3% response rate) attending tribally operated Women-Infant and Children's Nutritional Program (WIC) clinics in western Oklahoma during a six month period in 1999 as well as a convenience sample of Native women recruited from tribal facilities and a vocational school. Intimate partner violence was assessed using modified, revised Conflict Tactics Scales. Participant's, partner's, and family social stress measures were examined in relation to severe physical and sexual IPV during the past year. RESULTS: Among women with a steady male partner (n = 370), past-year prevalence of severe IPV was 23.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 19.5, 28.4). In logistic regression analyses controlling for the participant's age as well as problem drinking behavior of the participant and partner, three social stressor variables remained strongly associated with severe IPV: women receiving welfare assistance had a 2.7-fold (95% CI: 1.1, 6.8) increased odds of severe IPV; women scoring high on a nine item socioeconomic stressor scale had a 2.5-fold (CI: 1.2, 5.1) increased odds of IPV; and for each 1 unit increase in partner's perceived stress score, the odds of severe IPV increased 2.3-fold (95% CI: 1.4, 3.7). CONCLUSION: Within a low-income population of Native Americans, social stressors were found to be strongly associated with past-year severe IPV. These data suggest that IPV intervention and prevention strategies for Native American women would need to take into account the social and historical context of Native women and their families.