Past Intimate-Partner Violence Broadly Associated with Poor Current Health Status

Physically and sexually violent acts against women by male intimate partners are associated consistently with negative health outcomes, but studies have been limited in scope and methodology. In a new population-based study, investigators from the World Health Organization interviewed 19,000 women (age range, 15–49) — all currently or previously married or living with male partners — in 15 rural and urban settings in 10 developed and developing countries.

Depending on the site, 15% to 71% of women had experienced physical or sexual violence by intimate partners at some time, and such women were significantly more likely than others to report poor or very poor health (overall odds ratio, 1.6 after adjustment for site, age, education, and mari…