Prevalence of violence and its implications for women’s health

Abstract

This study estimates the lifetime prevalence of violent experiences and their relationship to health and the use of health services in U.S. women aged 18–64 years. The Commonwealth Fund’s 1998 Survey of Women’s Health provides a nationally representative sample. Use of weighted data allows projections to be made to the U.S. population. Over four of ten women in the U.S. are likely to have experienced one or more forms of violence, including child abuse (17.8%), physical assault (19.1%), rape (20.4%), and intimate partner violence (34.6%). In multivariate logistic regression models that control for sociodemographic characteristics, violence—particularly intimate sexual violence—is significantly related to poorer physical and mental health and increased problems with access to medical care. Only one-third of women who experience violence have discussed it with a physician. Health care professionals need to initiate the conversation about violence and offer referrals for needed services.