Violence against women in the United States poses a serious public health hazard, potentially leading to psychological harm, physical injury, morbidity and death. Women are most likely to experience violence in intimate sexual relationships with men. Some hospitals have responded to this threat to women's health by investing in either staff training or in- house service programs for the purpose of identifying, referring or treating abused women who present to medical settings. There is a wide range in the scope, intensity and cost of these hospital-based interventions.
The aim of this case-control research project is to compare the impact of these interventions on the mental and physical health of abused women. Specifically, at least 400 women drawn from several hospitals in the city of Boston will be interviewed and tracked over four years, with care to assure their safety and the confidentiality of their participation Their well-being will be compared to a control group of women matched from the same general source population. It is already known that the women presenting to these hospitals are diverse across social class, ethnicity, race, and immigrant status Examining the intersection of these sociodemographic variables with program efficacy will be another goal of this study. Finally, the long-term health care utilization of the women will be regularly assessed. The actual cost of these hospital programs, and the estimated cost of further services gleaned from other spheres, will be contrasted to the cost of virulence to women's long-term mental and physical health, accumulated quality years of life, economic productivity and social capital. Although the survivor shoulders the greatest burden, the cost of relationship violence to society has yet to be fully weighed. Medical costs surface as the most salient to the health care community, however, there are many related costs that should be taken into account to take a broad view of the toll. It is anticipated that the finding swill offer new information on the cost effectiveness of a variety of hospital-based interventions, leading to specific recommendations.
| McCloskey, Laura Ann; Doran, Kelly A; Gerber, Megan R (2017) Intimate Partner Violence is Associated with Voluntary Sterilization in Women. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 26:64-70 |
| McCloskey, Laura A (2016) The Effects of Gender-based Violence on Women's Unwanted Pregnancy and Abortion. Yale J Biol Med 89:153-9 |
| Williams, Corrine; Larsen, Ulla; McCloskey, Laura Ann (2010) The impact of childhood sexual abuse and intimate partner violence on sexually transmitted infections. Violence Vict 25:787-98 |
| Williams, Corrine M; Larsen, Ulla; McCloskey, Laura A (2008) Intimate partner violence and women's contraceptive use. Violence Against Women 14:1382-96 |
