A group of researchers conducted a longitudinal study from 2003-2006 in an attempt to analyze health care costs for women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) as compared to women who have never experienced intimate partner violence. The findings, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, indicate more frequent utilization of health care services and higher health care costs for women who have ever experienced intimate partner violence. Though most of the women were not currently facing IPV, nearly half of the women surveyed reported having ever experienced it. Women were separated into four categories indicating the timing of their experiences. The data analysis indicated, on average, that women who experienced such violence had higher levels of health care utilization and costs across cohorts. Interestingly, even women who were no longer experiencing IPV or had not for long periods of time, still had higher health care costs than the women who had never experienced IPV.
The study indicates there is a high demand on public health resources because of the prevalence of IPV. Besides the obvious effects on women surviving violence, the study serves as an indicator for service providers to improve and increase systems that create programs for IPV intervention.
Compiled from: Rivera, Frederick, MD. MPH, et. al "Health Care Utilization and Costs for Women with a History of Intimate Partner Violence" American Journal of Preventive Medicine 32, 2(February): 89-96.