How does Physical Domestic Violence Affect Health?

Domestic Violence is an issue that affects millions of Americans. This type of violence can be seen in same-sex couples as well as heterosexual couples. The term domestic violence is used interchangeably with the term intimate partner violence; due to the fact that the predator that’s conflicting this type of violence is usually from a person in which one has or had a close relationship with. This topic sparked my interest and was worth researching to help identify the type of impingement physical abuse can have on health also how this has influence or change one’s overall quality of life.

Reference: Alsaker, Kjersti, Baste, Valborg, Moen E. Benet, and Nortvedt W, Monica. “Low Health-Related Quality of Life among Abused Women.” Quality of Life Research, vol. 15, no. 6, 23 Jan. 2006, pp. 959–965., doi:10.1007/s11136-006-0046-4.

Domestic violence is a worldwide issue the situation is very prevalent in our society. Domestic violence steam from an intimate partner hence the term intimate partner violence. Women who experience domestic violence their health along with their quality of life can be affected. Domestic violence can be physical abuse verbal abuse, physiological abuse, and sexual abuse. The SF -36 health survey was used to measure health-related quality of life. The survey consisted of 36 items divided into eight scales. A 118 questioner was handed out to women that were located in a women's shelter in Norway that had experienced some form of domestic violence. The study showed that compared to the general female population women who had been through domestic violence had lower social skills and had a very low mental health score which could be a result from being in constant fear. The quality of the article was very authentic because of it good that’s nothing gives in details the way the study was conducted in order to obtain the information that needed to determine the level and the extent in which intimate partner violence could affect one’s health and the quality of life thereafter.

Reference: Joshi, Manisha, Mccloskey A. Laura, Thomas A. Kristie, and Wittenberg, Eve. “Measuring the Effect of Intimate Partner Violence on Health-Related Quality of Life: A Qualitative Focus Group Study.” Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, vol. 5, no. 1, 19 Dec. 2007, doi:10.1186/1477-7525-5-67.

Individual health and quality of life are highly influenced by whether or not a person was faced with some form of domestic violence. This interaction can alter an individual life. Intimate partner violence is not just an individual problem /issue but it's becoming a major public health concern. There are different areas of health that can be affected due to intimate partner violence. their physical abilities, emotional and psychologic status along with social and children function. The physical abuse has been one of the domains where health and life quality has decreased, because of the abuse individuals are present with symptoms of headaches, gynecologic discomfort, arthritis and other medical condition that may require hospitalization. It is quite obvious that health and quality of life has a direct correlation with intimate partner violence but to a better understand how in depth the connection a study is was done to measure these effects. A few different approaches were taken from direct questioning which was done in two parts, or other commonly used instruments like short form 36 (SF-36,) Euroqol5D(EQ-5D) and the quality of well-being scale (QWB-15). These instruments that were used in the study gives information about certain disease and condition that affect a different aspect of one's health. The study also concentrated on a particular group of women, African American ages 18 and over in an area of Greater Philadelphia. The study proves what it set out to do, therefore revealing that women experience emotional and psychological function such as sadness, depression, anxiety, helpless and powerlessness. They were often secluded and isolated from friends and family. Many women who had children involved feared for their children and vise verse which also resulting in the children experiencing depression and anxiety. Based on the information that was obtained specific areas of one’s health could be identified and pinpoint the effects of physical domestic violence.

Reference: “Violence against Women.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women.

Domestic Violence is a type of violence more commonly seen between heterosexual couples but can be between homosexual couples as well, therefore, it's been given a few different names like controlling relationship, family violence, and intimate partner violence, but regardless of the name domestic violence is when one has the ability to assert power and control over another. It is estimated that. 1 in 3 women have experienced either physical or sexual abuse by an intimate partner, and on a global level, 38% of women murder has come from the hands of an intimate partner. These types of violence usually have a negative effect on these women physical, mental and reproductive health. A 2013 analysis showed that women who had been involved with any physical or sexual assault where 1.5 more times to likely have had a sexually transmitted disease. The article also suggested that there are some predisposition factors that contribute to abuser and the individual that’s getting abuse, not having a high level of education, history of ill-treatment as a child and experiencing family violence as a child and having a non-social disposition are all contributing factors that someone who's conflicting the and someone who's being abuse have in common. This gives information on the prevalence of domestic violence in different parts of the world and health issues that may arise from domestic violence. The World Health Organization is a reliable source that gathers statical data worldwide and not just from one country. The information is fairly easy to understand and is from primary sources.

Reference: Delara, Mahin Delara. “Mental Health Consequences and Risk Factors of Physical Intimate Partner Violence.” Mental Health in Family Medicine, vol. 12, no. 01, 2016, doi:10.25149/1756-8358.1201004.

There are many factors involved in intimate partner violence that can affect one health, each aspect of violence has an impact on mental health. Mental health may not be all caused by physical violence but a combination of contributing factors along with the physical abuse this will increase the risk drastically of mental ill-health among females. This study was done to investigate and use finding from the previous study to see the outcome of physical abuse on mental health and if there are any other contributions to the consequences. Studies were done through a literature search using keywords such as physical violence, physical abuse, physical harm, and mental well-being in order to obtain information that would need to determine the correlation. The quality and the nature of this journal are not fully known thus raising doubt on the credibility of findings that was mention in the study.

Reference: Anderson L. Melissa, MS, Bonomi E. Amy, PH, MPH, Carrell, David,

Ph.D., Fisherman, Paul, Ph.D., Reid J. Robert, MD, Ph.D., Rivara P. Frederick, MD, and Thompson S. Robert, MD, R, (2007). Healthcare Utilization and Cost for women with a History of Intimate

Partner Violence, American Journal of Preventive Medicine,32(2), pp.89-96

Women who have been involved in intimate partner violence are at a greater risk for future health problems. Their health problems range from acute to chronic issues along with Comorbidities such as medical and psychological therefore resulting in a higher increased in healthcare utilization and medical cost. This is evident based on studies that have been done pertaining to medical facility, primary care doctors, inpatient hospitals and mental health care facilities. At the Group Health Cooperative on of the six largest nonprofit HMO and the largest consumer-governed HMO did study to show the differences in health care utilization and medical cost between women who had experienced intimate partner violence versus women who have not experienced IVP. Health care utilization was determined through a transactional database that captured insured services which included primary, specialists, emergency and urgent care. The cost system gathers information from 15 different systems along with ledger. Due to the large scale of women that Was involved in the study and the number of years in which it was conducted, certain definitions and understanding had to be put in order to make the study as accurate as possible. The data and information that was collected for the study made the study unbiased. Was able to show and get a pretty good idea of how much revenue goes into women health that has been a victim of domestic violence.

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