Health Outcomes in Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence: A 20-Year Real-World Study

Maria Clemente-Teixeira, Teresa Magalhães, Joana Barrocas, Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira and Tiago Taveira-Gomes ()
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Maria Clemente-Teixeira: Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
Teresa Magalhães: Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
Joana Barrocas: USF Caravela, Local Healthcare Unit of Matosinhos, Lagoa Street, 4460-352 Senhora da Hora, Portugal
Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira: Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
Tiago Taveira-Gomes: Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), 4200-450 Porto, Portugal

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-12

Abstract: Intimate partner violence is characterized by violent actions against a person perpetrated by his or her former or current partner, regardless of cohabitation. It most frequently affects women, and one of its most relevant outcomes is the health problems associated with the experience of repeated violence. Thus, the main objective of this study is to analyse the prevalence of health problems among women for whom there was a medical suspicion of being victims of intimate partner violence. The specific objectives are to analyse the prevalence of (a) health risk behaviours; (b) traumatic injuries and intoxications; (c) mental health conditions; and (d) somatic diseases. We conducted a real-world, retrospective, observational, cross-sectional and multicentric study based on secondary data analyses of electronic health records and health care register data in patients of the Local Healthcare Unit of Matosinhos (between 2001 and 2021). The identified data were extracted from electronic health records corresponding to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Safe Harbor Standard. Information was obtained considering the International Classification of Diseases, the International Classification of Primary Care, and the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System, as well as clinical notes (according to previously defined keywords). Considering all information sources, 1676 cases were obtained. This number means that just 2% of the women observed at this health care unit were suspected of being victims of intimate partner violence, which is far from the known statistics. However, we found much higher rates of all health risk behaviours, trauma and intoxication cases, mental health conditions, and somatic disorders we looked for, when compared to the general population. Early detection of these cases is mandatory to prevent or minimize their related health outcomes.

Keywords: intimate partner violence; female; health risk behaviours; health outcomes; health care diagnosis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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