Living in Danger: Previous Violence, Socioeconomic Position, and Mortality Risk among Women over a 10-Year Period

Abstract

Violence against women has many negative consequences. In this short report the authors investigate patterns of mortality among women experiencing violence leading to inpatient care from 1992 to 2006. Do women who are victims of severe violence have an increased mortality risk (a) in general? (b) by violence? (c) by suicide? Does socioeconomic position have any bearing on the mortality risk? The study was based on Swedish national registers, where 6,085 women exposed to violence resulting in inpatient care were compared with a nonexposed population sample of 55,016 women. Women of all social strata previously exposed to severe violence and treated in hospital had a highly increased risk of premature death from all-cause mortality, violence, or suicide. Women previously exposed to severe violence continue to live a life in danger. There is need for a societal response to support and protect these women against further violence after discharge from hospital.

Keywords:

• Violence against women
• premature death
• all-cause mortality
• suicide
• socioeconomic position

Notes

The study was financed by Brottsoffermyndigheten (The Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority).

^aThe income quartiles are based on the income of all Swedish women age 18–64 the year of inpatient care.

^bNot relevant because of the low numbers.

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