Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant and preventable public health problem. Around 27.3% of women and 11.5% of men in the US have experienced IPV, which encompasses physical, sexual, or psychological harm inflicted by a partner. Associated with chronic stress, reproductive disorders, and psychological disorders such as depression, IPV victimization severely impacts personal health and society. Examining IPV among Hawaii’s unique racial-ethnic groups can be used to raise awareness and inform planning efforts.
METHODS:
Data from 8,138 adults in Hawaii’s 2013 Behavioral Risk Surveillance System (BRFSS) Survey, a population based telephone survey that collects information from adults on health behaviors and other health issues, was analyzed for IPV. Respondents were defined as having experienced IPV in their lifetime if they responded “yes” to questions of whether they had ever been threatened with or experienced physical violence or unwanted sex from an intimate partner. Sex-stratified multivariate logistic regression identified associations between demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and IPV.
RESULTS:
An estimated 15.8% of HI adult females experienced IPV in their lifetime (95% CI= 14.1, 17.7). Compared to Caucasian females, Japanese (OR=0.34, 95% CI=0.22, 0.53), Chinese (OR=0.28, 95% CI=0.12, 0.66), Filipino (OR=0.19, 95% CI=0.10, 0.36), and other Asian females (OR=0.18, 95% CI=0.06, 0.53) experienced lower odds of IPV. Compared to college graduates, females with some college education had higher odds of IPV (OR=1.46, 95% CI=1.05, 2.03). Compared to married or widowed females, divorced or separated females experienced higher odds of IPV (OR=3.91, 95% CI=2.75, 5.57).
An estimated 10.2% of males experienced IPV (95% CI: 8.6, 12.0). Compared to Caucasian males, Chinese (OR=0.21, 95% CI=0.08, 0.58), Filipino (OR=0.44, 95% CI=0.22, 0.90), and other Asian males (OR=0.18, 95% CI=0.04, 0.90) experienced lower odds of IPV. Compared to married or widowed males, divorced or separated males (OR=3.70, 95% CI=2.20, 6.23) and males who were not married or in an unmarried relationship (OR=2.43, 95% CI=1.52, 3.89) experienced higher odds of IPV. Compared to males aged 50-64 years, males aged 35-49 experienced higher odds of IPV (OR=1.89, 95% CI=1.19, 3.00).
CONCLUSIONS:
In Hawaii, IPV victimization patterns vary by demographic and socioeconomic factors. Sex-specific analyses are important for focusing IPV programs on population characteristics. Race and marital status affect IPV among males and females while lower education is correlated with IPV among females and younger age correlated with IPV among males. Future analysis will explore whether cultural influences affect underreporting of IPV among some groups.