Citation

Straus H, Cerulli C, McNutt LA, Rhodes KV, Conner KR, Kemball RS, Kaslow NJ, Houry DE. J. Womens Health (Larchmont) 2009; 18(6): 917-917.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/jwh.2009.00C1

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Reports an error in "Intimate partner violence and functional health status: Associations with severity, danger, and self-advocacy behaviors" by Helen Straus, Catherine Cerulli, Louise Anne McNutt, Karin V. Rhodes, Kenneth R. Conner, Robin S. Kemball, Nadine J. Kaslow and Debra Houry (Journal of Women's Health, 2009[May], Vol 18[5], 625-631). In the original article, Intimate Partner Violence and Functional Health Status: Associations with Severity, Danger, and Self-Advocacy Behaviors by H. Straus, C. Cerulli, L.A. McNutt, K.V. Rhodes, K.R. Conner, R.S. Kemball, N.J. Kaslow, and D. Houry, the authors inadvertently left out the funding information. The following should have been added to the Acknowledgments section: "This work was supported by CDC R49 grant 423113 (Houry), NIMH K23 grant 069375 (Houry), and NIMH K23 grant 64572 (Rhodes)." (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2009-08105-003). Objective: To assess physical and mental functional health status as associated with the severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) and perceived danger. Methods: Prospective cross-sectional survey of all patients aged 18–55 in an urban emergency department during a convenience sample of shifts. Instruments included the George Washington Universal Violence Prevention Screening protocol, administered by computer during the initial visit, the Short-Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12), the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2), and the Revised Danger Assessment (DA), administered by interview at 1 week follow-up. Results: In total, 548 (20%) participants screened disclosed IPV victimization. Of those, 216 (40%) completed the follow-up assessment 1 week later. This cohort was 91% African American, 70% single, and 63% female, with a mean age of 35 (SD 10.41). Both physical and mental health functioning scores were lower than normative levels (50) compared with national averages: Physical Component Summary (PCS) scale 43.64 (SD 10.86) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scale 37.46 (SD 12.29). As physical assault, psychological aggression, and reported injury increased on the CTS2, mental health functioning diminished (p < 0.01). Increased physical assault and psychological aggression were also associated with diminished physical health functioning (p < 0.05). As victim-perceived danger increased on the DA, both physical and mental health functioning decreased (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, respectively). Greater self-advocacy activities were associated with lower mental (but not physical) health functioning as well. Females experienced worsening mental health functioning as both physical assault and psychological aggression increased, whereas male victims experienced worsening mental health functioning only as psychological aggression increased. Conclusions: These findings suggest that IPV takes a greater mental than physical toll (for both sexes) and that as IPV severity increases, mental health functioning diminishes and self-advocacy behaviors increase. Additionally, as perceived danger increases, both physical and mental health status worsens. This has important implications for clinicians to assess and consider IPV victims' perceptions of their situations relative to danger, not just the levels of abuse they are experiencing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)