# Presentation: 643028

## Domestic Violence,Frequent Mental Distress, and Desire for Help in California Women                        12th Annual MCH-Epi Conference                                  December 7, 2006

**Moreen Libet****, Ph.D.****1****  **
**Zipora Weinbaum****, Ph.D.****2****  **
**Eugene Takahashi****, Ph.D.****1**
- 1California Department of Health Services – MCAH/OFP Branch
- 2 California Department of Health Services - Office of Women’s Health
- _[http://www.dhs.ca.gov/director/owh/owh_main/cwhs/wmns_hlth_survey/03-04_data_points/060703](http://www.dhs.ca.gov/director/owh/owh_main/cwhs/wmns_hlth_survey/03-04_data_points/060703)__ Data Points Press.pdf_

## Relationship between Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) & Mental Health (MH) 

- IPV effects on MH
- IPV & MH effects on woman and her children
- MH
- Physical health
- Work
- Finances
- Children’s mental & physical health

## Are Women affected by Both IPV & MH Underserved?

- Special needs beyond Domestic Violence (DV) or MH agency training/scope
- Training and Technical Assistance contractor to work with CA DHS-funded DV agencies

## California Women’s Health Survey (CWHS) Data to Detect Unmet Need

- Prevalence of IPV with mental distress
- Interest in MH help among women with both IPV and mental distress
- Frequency of obtaining MH help among those with interest in help
- Unmet need for MH resources for women with IPV

## Study Methods: Data Source -- CWHS

- Annual, population-based, random-digit- dialed telephone survey
- English, Spanish
- ~4000 California women 18 years and older

## Study Methods: Survey QuestionsIntimate Partner Violence (Physical)

- Intimate Partner
- 	Current or former husband, partner, boyfriend or girlfriend
- Physical IPV
- 	 In the past 12 months, has a partner or former partner
- Thrown something at you?
- Pushed, grabbed, shoved or slapped you?
- Kicked, bit or hit you with a fist?
- Beaten you up or choked you?
- Used a knife on you or fired a gun at you?

## Study Methods: Survey QuestionsIntimate Partner Violence (Psychological)

- Psychological abuse
- 	In the past 12 months,
**Have you been frightened for the safety **
**   ****of yourself, your family or friends** because of the anger or threats of a partner or former partner?
**Has a partner or former partner tried to control **
- 	**most or all of your daily activities? ** For example, controlling who you can talk to or where you can go.
**Has a partner or former partner followed you**
-    **or spied on you?**

## Study Methods: Survey Questions Mental Health

- Thinking about your mental health, which includes stress, depression, and problems with emotions, for how many days during the past 30 days was your mental health not good?
- Frequent Mental Distress (FMD) --
- 	14+ days during past 30 days
- 	that mental health was not good

## Study Methods: Survey QuestionsHelp for Mental Health

- Now, thinking about the last 12 months,
-    did you ever want or need help with personal
-    or family problems from a mental health professional such as a social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist or counselor?
- Did you get help?
**Asked only of those who wanted/needed help**

## Study Methods: Sample 

- CWHS 2003 and 2004
- 7,735 women answering IPV questions

## Overall Findings: Intimate Partner Violence

**8.8**

**(in past year)**

## Overall Findings: Frequent Mental Distress

**13.6**

**(in past month)**

## Overall Findings: Interest in Mental Heath Help

**40%**

**60%**

**21.6**

**(in past year)**

## Frequent Mental Distress by Type of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)California Women, 2003-2004

## Interest in vs. Obtained Mental Health Help by Type of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)California Women, 2003-2004

- Note: “Obtained MH Help” results are proportions of women “Interested in MH Help.”

## Frequent Mental Distress by Type of IPV and Interest in vs. Obtained MH Help California Women, 2003-2004

-    Note: “Obtained MH Help” results are proportions of women “Interested in MH Help.”

## Summary	

- 9% CA women reported any IPV in past year
- 4% reported physical IPV in past year
- 1/3 of CA women w/physical IPV had FMD
- Nearly 3/4 of women w/physical IPV & FMD wanted mental health help
- But less than 1/2 of them received it
- IPV provider awareness, training, and attention for mental health could benefit the IPV population