TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors Influencing Resource Use by African American and African Caribbean Women Disclosing Intimate Partner Violence
AU - Lucea, Marguerite B.
AU - Stockman, Jamila K.
AU - Mana-Ay, Margarita
AU - Bertrand, Desiree
AU - Callwood, Gloria B.
AU - Coverston, Catherine R.
AU - Campbell, Doris W.
AU - Campbell, Jacquelyn C.
N1 - Funding Information:
Overall, many women in our study who did not access resources reported they were unaware of them. We were unable to ascertain in our quantitative data between true unawareness or beliefs that responses might not be helpful or sensitive to their situation or needs. Further research is required that focuses specifically on this issue. Either way, efforts by the community to increase awareness of existing resources and build additional avenues would be beneficial to provide assistance in domestic violence situations. Practitioners in systems providing legal protection, health care, and community support must also be fully educated in their roles and responsibilities in providing competent services. This recommendation is supported by Rodriquez. Rodriguez, Valentine, Son, and Muhammad, who conducted an extensive review of identified barriers to help seeking and use of resources by women who have experienced IPV. These barriers included a variety of patient, provider, and health system/community factors. Attention to the barriers to mental health care for ethnically diverse survivors of IPV can direct the development of more effective strategies for health care practice and policy ().
PY - 2013/5
Y1 - 2013/5
N2 - Many victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) do not access services. Education and severity of physical violence have previously been shown to predict resource utilization, but whether these hold true specifically among women of African descent is unknown. This article furthers our understanding of the relationship between IPV and resource use, considering sociodemographics and aspects of IPV by presenting results from a study conducted with African American and African Caribbean women in Baltimore, Maryland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Of the 545 women included in this analysis, 95 (18%) reported emotional abuse only, 274 (50%) reported experiencing physical abuse only, and 176 (32%) had experienced both physical and sexual abuse by an intimate partner. Resource utilization was relatively low among these women, with only 57% seeking any help. Among those who did, 13% sought medical, 18% DV, 37% community, and 41% criminal justice resources. Generalized linear model results indicated that older age and severe risk for lethality from IPV and PTSD were predictive of certain types of resource use, while education, insurance status, and depression had no influence. Perceived availability of police and shelter resources varied by site. Results suggest that systems that facilitate resource redress for all abused women are essential, particularly attending to younger clients who are less likely to seek help, while building awareness that women accessing resources may be at severe risk for lethality from the violence and may also be experiencing mental health complications. In addition, greater efforts should be made on the community level to raise awareness among women of available resources.
AB - Many victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) do not access services. Education and severity of physical violence have previously been shown to predict resource utilization, but whether these hold true specifically among women of African descent is unknown. This article furthers our understanding of the relationship between IPV and resource use, considering sociodemographics and aspects of IPV by presenting results from a study conducted with African American and African Caribbean women in Baltimore, Maryland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Of the 545 women included in this analysis, 95 (18%) reported emotional abuse only, 274 (50%) reported experiencing physical abuse only, and 176 (32%) had experienced both physical and sexual abuse by an intimate partner. Resource utilization was relatively low among these women, with only 57% seeking any help. Among those who did, 13% sought medical, 18% DV, 37% community, and 41% criminal justice resources. Generalized linear model results indicated that older age and severe risk for lethality from IPV and PTSD were predictive of certain types of resource use, while education, insurance status, and depression had no influence. Perceived availability of police and shelter resources varied by site. Results suggest that systems that facilitate resource redress for all abused women are essential, particularly attending to younger clients who are less likely to seek help, while building awareness that women accessing resources may be at severe risk for lethality from the violence and may also be experiencing mental health complications. In addition, greater efforts should be made on the community level to raise awareness among women of available resources.
KW - domestic violence
KW - help-seeking
KW - intimate partner violence
KW - resource utilization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84876254608&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84876254608&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0886260512468326
DO - 10.1177/0886260512468326
M3 - Article
C2 - 23295377
AN - SCOPUS:84876254608
SN - 0886-2605
VL - 28
SP - 1617
EP - 1641
JO - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
JF - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
IS - 8
ER -