Intimate partner violence and Its Relationship with Psychological Distress Among Older Asian Americans: Results from the California Health Interview Survey.

OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to examine the influence of intimate partner violence on psychological distress among a diverse sample of older Asian Americans living in California. METHODS:Participants in the 2007-2009 California Health and Interview Survey (CHIS) aged fifty years and older and self-reported as Asian Americans were included in the study. The primary independent variable was the history of any intimate partner violence (physical or sexual violence) since 18 years of age. The Kessler Psychological Distress Six-item Scale was used to measure the study dependent variable. A composite score (0-24) was created for psychological distress during the past 30 days as well as for the one month in the past 12 months when they were at their worst emotionally. Other covariates, including acculturation and demographic factors, were measured. Hierarchical multivariate linear regressions were conducted to examine the influence of intimate partner violence on psychological distress after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS:In the study, about 8% of older Asian Americans reported ever experiencing intimate partner violence. After controlling for level of acculturation and demographic factors, a history of intimate partner violence was significantly associated with higher levels of psychological distress for the past month (beta = 2.07, SE = 0.74, p < 0.05) and for the worst month in the past year (beta = 1.99, SE = 0.68, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION:Intimate partner violence is a significant risk factor for distress among older Asian Americans. Culturally targeted violence prevention efforts and treatment approaches for individuals impacted by violence are needed in this highly underserved segment of older Americans.