Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Associated Implications for Health and Functioning Among Male and Female Post-9/11 Veterans

Background: There is increased emphasis on identifying patients who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in Department of Veterans Affairs and other health care settings. A better understanding of IPV's implications for health and functioning is needed among post-911 Veterans, and especially male Veterans, to inform IPV screening and response. Objectives: To identify past 6-month IPV experienced among partnered post-9/11 Veterans and examine sex-based associations between IPV and health. Research Design: A national sample of Veterans completed a survey that included measures of IPV victimization and health. Types of IPV and relationships with health and functioning were examined separately for male and female Veterans. Subjects: In total, 407 post-9/11 Veterans (52% women) in intimate relationships. Measures: IPV victimization was assessed with the Conflict Tactics Scales-Revised. Health and functioning indicators included post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-5) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-Primary Care) symptoms, physical health-related quality of life (Short-Form 12-item Health Survey), and occupational functioning (Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning). Results: Nearly two thirds of both men and women reported past 6-month IPV, with greatest endorsement of psychological aggression (65% of men, 59% of women). A total of 8% of men and 7% of women reported physical IPV and 4% of men and 7% of women reported sexual IPV. Psychological aggression was strongly linked with mental health for both sexes and greater occupational impairment for men. Physical and sexual IPV were associated with more severe mental health symptoms for women while physical IPV was negatively associated with physical health-related quality of life for men. Conclusions: Recent IPV victimization, especially psychological aggression, is a key health issue for partnered male and female post-9/11 Veterans. Practice and research implications are discussed.