Healthcare utilization by abused women: A case control study

Figures & data

Figure 1. Clustered reasons for encounter (ICPC codes).

Figure 2. Design of study.

Table I. Characteristics of the study group of abused and non-abused women.

	Abused	Non-abused
	n = 50	n = 50	P
Age category years			0.93
19–25	9 (18.0%)	6 (12.0%)
26–35	10 (20.0%)	12 (24.0%)
36–45	10 (20.0%)	11 (22.0%)
46–55	10 (20.0%)	10 (20.0%)
> 55	11 (22.0%)	11 (22.0%)
Country of origin			0.07
Native Dutch	25 (50.0%)	34 (68.0%)
Other	25 (50.0%)	16 (32.0%)
Number of children			0.58
None	16 (32.0%)	10 (20.0%)
1	11 (22.0%)	12 (24.0%)
2	15 (30.0%)	19 (38.0%)
3 or more	8 (16.0%)	9 (18.0%)
Education			0.17
Low	13 (26.0%)	6 (12.0%)
Middle	22 (44.4%)	29 (58.0%)
High	15 (30.0%)	15 (30.0%)

Table II. Numbers of women in general practice and health care utilization with potential risk factors (referrals, prescriptions and reason for encounter) of partner abuse, odds ratio (OR) before the assessment of IPV.

	Cases (n = 50)	Controls (n = 50)	OR	95% CI	P value^a
Referrals to
Additional diagnostics	46	38	3.6	1.1–12.2	0.03^b
Specialist	36	34	1.2	0.5–2.9	0.66
Mental health care	21	10	2.9	1.2–7.1	0.02^b
Prescription for
Tranquilizers	18	15	1.3	0.6–3.0	0.52
Painkillers	33	32	1.1	0.5–2.5	0.83
Drugs for digestive symptoms	19	21	0.9	0.4–1.9	0.68
Antidepressants	18	6	4.1	1.5–11.6	0.005^b
Clustered complaints
Nonspecific/other symptoms	46	43	1.8	0.5–6.8	0.34
Neurological symptoms	22	19	1.3	0.58–2.8	0.54
Musculoskeletal symptoms	32	35	0.8	0.3–1.8	0.52
Trauma	15	11	1.5	0.6–3.7	0.36
Reproductive health problems	28	15	3.0	1.3–6.8	0.009^b
Mental health problems	22	15	1.8	0.8–4.2	0.15
Substance abuse	8	2	4.6	0.9–22.7	0.05^b
Social problems	18	7	3.5	1.2–10.5	0.01^b

^aPearson chi-square.

^bSignificant.