Intimate partner violence is defined as physical, emotional or mental violence or abuse that occurs in the context of a romantic relationship and by a current or former spouse or romantic partner. This includes physical violence, sexual violence, harassment and psychological and/or verbal aggression. There is also intent to harm the partner mentally or emotionally or to exercise control over the partner.
Women between the ages of 18 and 34 experience the highest rates of spousal violence.
An increasingly clear link between domestic violence and cardiovascular disorders
“There is a growing body of evidence linking intimate partner violence to adverse cardiovascular outcomes,” confirms lead author Dr. Kathryn Recto, a researcher at the Feinberg School of Medicine.
The study, longitudinal, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA), one of the longest studies on the subject, followed participants for nearly 30 years and analyzed data from hospitalizations, outpatient procedures, consultations external events, cardiovascular events and more broadly health records, in order to explore whether past exposure to domestic violence could be linked to cardiovascular health later in life. Participants were asked to undergo a health assessment every 2 to 5 years. During this 28-year follow-up, the researchers recorded a great deal of data and markers of cardiac risk, such as blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, eating habits, body composition, substance abuse, test results MRI, psychological health and family history, as well as health issues including heart problems, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea, or adverse pregnancy outcomes, kidney problems, diseases liver disease, history of cancer, respiratory disease, depression and death. 4,300 participants also indicated their exposure to domestic violence. Finally, the analysis was adjusted to take into account possible confounding factors.
The analysis reveals that:
- at least one exposure to intimate partner violence in the previous year is associated with higher alcohol consumption;
- similarly, exposure to domestic violence is associated with regular smoking;
- exposure to intimate partner or family violence is associated with at least a 34% increased risk of cardiovascular events and at least a 30% increased risk of death from any cause;
- having experienced more than one violent episode with an intimate partner in the past year is also associated with a 34% increased risk of death from all causes after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors; the risk of death is increased by 59% in those who have suffered domestic violence, by 34% in the event of violence suffered by a relative and by 26% in the event of violence suffered by a stranger;
Taken together, these results suggest that intimate partner violence is strongly linked to a higher lifetime risk of cardiovascular events or premature death. They also call for the implementation of interventions such as systematic screening by clinicians for domestic violence, and then more rigorous surveillance for the development of cardiovascular disease.