PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Porcerelli, John H.
AU  - West, Patricia A.
AU  - Binienda, Juliann
AU  - Cogan, Rosemary
TI  - Physical and Psychological Symptoms in Emotionally Abused and Non-abused Women
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.19.2.201
DP  - 2006 Mar 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
PG  - 201--204
VI  - 19
IP  - 2
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/19/2/201.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/19/2/201.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med2006 Mar 01; 19
AB  - Background: This brief report compares emotionally abused and non-abused female family practice patients on physical and emotional symptoms, alcohol use problems, and social support problems.Methods:We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional, multicenter study of victimization of family practice patients. Forty-seven adult women meeting criteria for emotional abuse (within the past year) and no physical abuse were matched demographically with 47 non-abused women. Each woman completed demographic and health history questionnaires, including questions about physical and emotional abuse.Results:Emotionally abused women reported a greater number of physical (P < .001) and psychological (P < .0001) symptoms than non-abused controls. Emotionally abused women reported a significantly greater number of social support problems than non-abused women (P < .04).Conclusions:This study supports a growing literature that demonstrates an association between emotional abuse and physical and emotional symptoms in women who are currently suffering emotional abuse at the hands of their partner or ex-partner. It is recommended that physicians inquire about emotional abuse in female patients with multiple psychosocial and physical symptoms.