Department of Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA.
Womens Health Issues. 2013 May-Jun;23(3):e179-85. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2013.02.003.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a significant public health concern. This study examines the physical and mental health status and relationship to social support for women seeking services to end IPV at a walk-in community organization that serves the community at large, including a shelter for abused women.
One hundred seventeen (117) English-speaking women between the ages of 18 and 61 years participated in a self-administered survey. Physical, mental, and oral health, social support, and IPV homicide lethality were measured using standardized instruments.
Social support was the most important factor related to better health. The participants who had more social support reported better physical (p < .05), mental (p < .01), and oral health (p < .05), and a lower level of psychological distress (p < .01) and depression (p < .01) compared with participants who reported less social support. The participants living in the shelter reported worse physical health (p < .05) but better mental health (p < .05) than the participants not living in a shelter. Older age and low income were related to oral health problems, whereas older age, low education level, and unemployment were related to poor mental health.
The present study adds to the evidence that social support contributes to improving physical and mental health for women who experience IPV. The findings also suggest the importance of providing or referring women to mental health services.
亲密伴侣暴力（IPV）对女性来说是一个严重的公共卫生问题。本研究考察了在一家为广大社区提供服务的即走即停社区组织中寻求结束 IPV 的女性的身心健康状况以及与社会支持的关系，该组织还为受虐妇女提供庇护所。
117 名年龄在 18 至 61 岁之间的讲英语的女性参与了一项自我管理的调查。使用标准化工具测量身体、精神和口腔健康、社会支持以及 IPV 杀人的致命性。
社会支持是与更好的健康状况最相关的因素。与报告社会支持较少的参与者相比，拥有更多社会支持的参与者报告了更好的身体（p<.05）、心理（p<.01）和口腔健康（p<.05），以及更低水平的心理困扰（p<.01）和抑郁（p<.01）。与不住在庇护所的参与者相比，居住在庇护所的参与者报告了更差的身体健康（p<.05），但更好的心理健康（p<.05）。年龄较大和收入较低与口腔健康问题有关，而年龄较大、教育水平较低和失业与心理健康较差有关。
本研究为社会支持有助于改善经历 IPV 的女性身心健康的证据增添了内容。研究结果还表明，为妇女提供或转介心理健康服务的重要性。
