Rates and relative risk of hospital admission among women in violent intimate partner relationships

Abstract

Objectives: This study assessed the history of hospitalization among women involved in violent intimate relationships.

Methods: In this 1-year retrospective cohort study, female residents of King County, Washington, who were aged 18 to 44 years and who had filed for a protection order were compared with nonabused women in the same age group. Outcome measures included overall and diagnosis-specific hospital admission rates and relative risk of hospitalization associated with abuse.

Results: Women known to be exposed to a violent intimate relationship were significantly more likely to be hospitalized with any diagnosis (age-specific relative risks [RRs] ranging from 1.2 to 2.1), psychiatric diagnoses (RR = 3.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.8, 4.6), injury and poisoning diagnoses (RR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.2, 2.8), digestive system diseases (RR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.3, 2.9), and diagnoses of assault (RR = 4.9, 95% CI = 1.1, 22.1) or attempted suicide (RR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.6, 9.2) in the year before filing a protection order.

Conclusions: This study showed an increased relative risk of both overall and diagnosis-specific hospitalizations among abused women. Intimate partner violence has a significant impact on women's health and use of health care.