Loading...
Despite the high estimated prevalence of domestic abuse, women rarely report abuse to their physicians. This 1993 survey identified clinical characteristics associated with abuse in four internal medicine practices.
About half of the 1952 respondents were less than 45 years old, about 60% were married and living with their husbands, about half had completed high school, and about 40% reported family incomes over $30,000. Nearly 6% of the women reported experiencing domestic violence during the past year, and 33% during their lifetime. The following factors were associated with current abuse: age under 35; separated or divorced status; medical assistance or no insurance; higher depression and anxiety scores; drug or alcohol abuse; suicide att…