Publication year
2015
Citation Title
Health problems of partner violence victims.
Journal Name
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Journal Volume
48
Issue Number
2
Page Numbers
136-144
DOI
10.1016/j.amepre.2014.08.022
Summary
Both men and women can be victims of partner violence; however, most research has focused on women, and less is known about the health problems of male partner violence victims. This study compared a sample of 611 male partner violence victims who sought help with a population-based sample of 1,601 men regarding their health problems. Results revealed that male partner violence victimization may threaten men's health.
Key Findings
Compared to the population-based sample, the help-seeking sample had significantly more health problems (e.g., high blood pressure, sexually transmitted disease, asthma) and they were also more likely to abuse prescription medications.
Compared to the population-based sample, the help-seeking sample was 15 times more likely to have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and were two times more prone to depression.
There were no significant differences between the help-seeking and population-based groups in alcohol and illicit drug use.
Implications for Military Professionals
Help intimate partner violence victims to identify appropriate resources to keep themselves safe and seek long-term support services
Attend training about partner violence to enhance their ability to provide support to partner violence victims
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer support groups for male Service members and military spouses who were victims of intimate partner violence
Provide marriage education workshops for military families that aim to reduce marital conflicts and improve communication skills
Implications for Policy Makers
Raise awareness on military bases regarding the prevalence of male victims in intimate partner violence and the detrimental effects of it on men's health
Encourage the development of programs that prevent intimate partner violence in military families
Methods
The help-seeking sample was recruited by posting advertisements on men's health, male intimate partner violence, and divorced men's issues agencies' websites; to be eligible for the study, men had to have been involved in a current or past intimate relationship with a woman and suffered from a physical assault from their female partner. The population-based sample was provided by a survey research firm.
Measures that were used for the study assessed participants' intimate partner violence experiences, mental health (PTSD, depression), physical health, substance abuse, child maltreatment experiences, and emotional support.
Data were analyzed to examine the differences between the help-seeking sample and the population-based sample in the measures.
Participants
Participants were 611 men who sought help for their victimization of partner violence and 1,601 population-based sample of men.
The average age of the help-seekers was 43.89 years (SD = 9.18). Most of the help-seekers were White (75%), followed by Black (4%), Latino (5%), Asian American (4%), Native American (3%), and other (9%).
The average age of the population-based sample was 41.77 years (SD = 11.35). Most of the population-based sample were White (76%), followed by Black (10%), Latino (11%), Asian American (2%), and Native American (1%).
Limitations
The study was only based on self-report data, so the results may be subject to memory bias and social-desirability bias.
Some participants suffered from intimate partner violence many years ago whereas others' victimization was more recent; however, the study did not control for the influence of the recency of the violence.
The study focused on male partner violence victims who sought help; therefore, the results cannot be generalized to men who suffered from partner violence but did not seek help.
Avenues for Future Research
Use both self-report and objective data (e.g., hospital records) so that the results of the study are more reliable
Recruit both intimate partner violence victims who sought help and those who did not seek help to increase the generalizability of the study
Examine whether intimate partner violence victimization causes different risks to men and women
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
National population-based studies show that 40%–50% of physical partner violence victims in a 1-year time period are men. However, studies assessing the health concerns related to partner violence victimization tend to focus on women, and none have assessed the health of male physical partner violence victims who sought help for their victimization. To understand men’s mental and physical health concerns that may be related to partner violence victimization. In 2012–2013, two samples of men—611 physical partner violence victims who sought help and 1,601 men from a population-based sample—completed online questionnaires on their demographics, various types of partner violence victimization, physical health, mental health, and other risks. Data were analyzed using logistic regression, log binomial models, and robust Poisson models in 2013. In comparison to the population-based sample of men, male partner violence victims who sought help had significantly poorer health, particularly with regard to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, high blood pressure, sexually transmitted diseases, and asthma. These differences remained after controlling for sample differences in demographics, substance use, previous traumatic exposure, and social support. Practitioners should assess for health problems among partner violence victims and for partner violence victimization among men presenting with health problems.
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