Women and intimate partner violence: Prevalence of hospital visits and nature of injuries in the Icelandic population

Abstract

Aims: The purpose of this study was to analyse the prevalence of hospital visits and nature of injuries caused by intimate partner violence (IPV) against women and associated costs. Methods: All visits to Landspitali National University Hospital by women 18 years or older subjected to IPV, inflicted by a current or former male partner during 2005–2014, were observed and analysed. Information was obtained on number, date and time of visits and admissions, place of occurrence, patients’ and perpetrators’ age and relationship, number of perpetrators, medical diagnosis, aetiology, injury severity and cost. Results: The number of new hospital visits due to IPV was 1454, of which 92.6% were to the Emergency Department. The average age of the women was 34 years and 3.2% were admitted. According to the Injury Severity Score, physical injuries were mostly minor (92.4%) and mainly located on the upper body (64.3%) – namely, face, head and neck (37.1%) and upper limbs (27.2%). The majority of injuries were superficial (76.2%) and punching (29.7%), shoving (17.8%), kicking (10.5%) and attempted strangulation (9.8%) were the most common types of aetiology. Repeated new visits were 37.8%. The total cost for the hospital relating to IPV was €783,330. Conclusions: The total number of new visits resulting from IPV was 1454, and prevalence was 1.69 per 1000 women in the capital area over the research period. The majority of women were shown to have minor physical injuries of a superficial nature, located on the upper body. Although a low percentage of women were admitted, the associated cost for visits and admissions was substantial.

Association Between Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Physical, Psychological, and Social Health Outcomes for Women in Bangladesh

“…Our study found that the mean age of respondents who reported being assaulted was 36.57 years. This is similar to another study by Jonasdottir et al20 who reported the mean age of 34 years 20. Our study found the younger women between 26 and 30 years are more vulnerable to violence and the risk decreases with age 20.…”

“…This is similar to another study by Jonasdottir et al 20 who reported the mean age of 34 years. 20 Our study found the younger women between 26 and 30 years are more vulnerable to violence and the risk decreases with age. 20 Our study reported that younger women were more vulnerable to IPV exposure.…”

“…20 Our study found the younger women between 26 and 30 years are more vulnerable to violence and the risk decreases with age. 20 Our study reported that younger women were more vulnerable to IPV exposure. Interestingly, in a few countries, such as Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan, adolescent girls reported less IPV than the women aged 20 to 49 years.…”

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

“…The obtained results do not allow for a differential diagnosis of the medicolegal aetiology of injuries and intoxications, so no further progress can be made in this discussion. However, superficial injuries are 2.2 times higher (G2) than in the general population, and it is known that they are also most frequent in IPV cases [ 27 , 28 ], which leads us to consider that many of these injuries may have been intentionally inflicted by an intimate partner. Regarding intoxications, they are also two times higher (G2), but here again, the medicolegal aetiology of the cases is unknown.…”

To prevent sexual violence against women, we need to know more about those who become victims

“…This issue of Scandinavian Journal of Public Health focuses on different aspects of violence against youth and women. An article by Koutaniemi and Einiö describes a novel approach to analysing variations in patterns of information-seeking and police reporting for domestic violence in Finland [9], Jónasdóttir et al report on injuries found in women who sought emergency care in Rejkjavik, Iceland over a 10-year period, 2005–2014 [10] and, in a study from Sweden, Lövestad et al report that women who had experienced physical violence from a partner were several-fold more likely to have mental health care needs, but that nearly half of these had refrained from seeking help [11]. In addition, two articles highlight the health correlates of violence exposure among young people in Sweden; Petersson et al [12] report that youth exposed to any type of violence during their lifetime demonstrated poorer self-rated health than their non-exposed peers, and, in a study by Låftman et al [13], sexual harassment through jokes was found to be highly correlated with psychological complaints among school-aged children.…”