Prevalence of intimate partner violence and its relationship to physical and psychological health

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant problem that affects every country, culture and social level. Primary Health Centers (PHC) and Emergency Rooms play an essential role when women have been seriously battered and face possible long term consequences to their health. Our objective was to analyze the prevalence of the different types of IPV: physical, emotional and sexual. We also explored its relationship to physical and psychological indicators, not directly related to blows or injuries. We used a cross-sectional design. A sample of 333 Spanish women were randomly selected and interviewed with the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) and a checklist of symptoms. We found that 18% of the participants reported to be victims of IPV. Abuse was significantly related to migraines, headaches, breathing problems, abdominal pain, lack of appetite, alcohol intake, antidepressant intake, hypersomnia, difficulties concentrating and in decision making. IPV is a risk factor for female health; not only because of injuries but also because of the long term consequences of being exposed to such an aversive situation. Therefore, the role of Primary Health Centers should include screening for IPV.