Risk Factors for Physical Injury Among Women Assaulted by Current or Former Spouses

This study examined risk factors for physical injuries resulting from partner violence using data from the Canadian Violence Against Women Survey. Multivariate results indicated that experiencing violence before the union, having a partner who was drinking at the time of the assault, having children who witnessed the assault, experiencing previous violence by the same partner, fearing one's life was in danger, and experiencing high levels of emotional abuse were related to an increased risk of both minor and severe injuries. Both models had good predictive value: 80% concordance rate when predicting minor injuries and 90% concordance rate when predicting severe injuries. Knowledge of a woman's status on these risk factors would allow public health practitioners to intervene with battered women more effectively to prevent injuries.