Correlates of intimate partner violence among female patients at a North Carolina emergency department.

OBJECTIVE This paper identifies comorbid factors among female emergency department (ED) patients who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). METHODS 321 adult female patients completed self-administered questionnaires while in an urban North Carolina emergency department. IPV was assessed by questioning whether the patient had ever been afraid of a partner, physically hurt or threatened by a partner, or forced to have sex by a partner. RESULTS One third of all female patients reported at least one form of IPV in their lifetimes. IPV was associated with a low self-rating of physical and mental health, frequent visits to the ED, and problems with alcohol, drugs, and mental health. In multivariate analysis, only a history ofalcohol and mental health problems and a low self-rating of mental health remained significant. CONCLUSIONS The findings illustrate the need for IPVscreening protocols that address mental health and substance abuse and also emphasize the importance ofscreening all women for IPV