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. 2010 Jul;16(7):832-45.
doi: 10.1177/1077801210374816.

Association between intimate partner violence and irritable bowel syndrome: a population-based study in Nicaragua

Sylvia Becker-Dreps  1 , Douglas Morgan, Rodolfo Peña, Loreto Cortes, Christopher F Martin, Eliette Valladares
Affiliations

Association between intimate partner violence and irritable bowel syndrome: a population-based study in Nicaragua

Sylvia Becker-Dreps et al. Violence Against Women. 2010 Jul.

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disabling functional gastrointestinal disorder, which serves as a model for abdominal pain syndromes. An association between intimate partner violence and IBS has been shown among White women in the industrialized world. To determine whether this relationship transcends cultural boundaries, we conducted a population-based, cross-sectional survey in Nicaragua using the innovative Health and Demographic Surveillance System in the León province. Women who had experienced physical intimate partner violence had significantly increased risk of IBS (odds ratio [OR] = 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35, 3.21), as did those who had experienced sexual intimate partner violence (OR = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.45, 5.59). These findings argue for intimate partner violence screening among Latina women with IBS.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Diagnostic Criteria* for IBS *In the absence of structural or metabolic abnormalities to explain the symptoms. Reprinted with permission from the Rome Foundation (Thompson et al., 2000, p.360).
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