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Methods for estimating medical expenditures attributable to intimate partner violence
Derek S Brown1, Eric A Finkelstein, James A Mercy
1RTI International, Public Health Economics Program, 3040 Cornwallis Road, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194, USA. dsbrown@rti.org
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
|March 4, 2008
Summary
Estimating the medical cost of intimate partner violence (IPV) for U.S. adult women reveals a substantial healthcare burden, ranging from $2.3 to $7.0 billion annually. Different estimation methods yield varied results but confirm IPV
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Sociology
Background:
- Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a significant public health issue with considerable medical costs.
- Accurate estimation of the economic burden of IPV is crucial for resource allocation and intervention planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare three distinct methodologies for estimating the medical cost burden of intimate partner violence (IPV) in U.S. adult women.
- To analyze the range of cost estimates and explore reasons for discrepancies between different approaches.
Main Methods:
- Utilized prevalence data from the National Violence Against Women Survey.
- Integrated cost data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, Medicare 5% sample, and published studies.
- Incorporated relative risk estimates from published research to compute medical cost burden within one year post-victimization.
Main Results:
- Estimated medical cost burden of IPV for women victimized within the past year ranged from USD 2.3 billion to USD 7.0 billion.
- The wide range in estimates is attributed to differences in methodology, data sources, and assumptions.
- All methods consistently demonstrated a substantial financial impact on the healthcare system.
Conclusions:
- Intimate partner violence imposes a significant and quantifiable medical cost burden on the U.S. healthcare system.
- No single method emerged as a definitive 'gold standard,' highlighting the complexity of cost estimation in this area.
- Further research is needed to refine methodologies and reduce variability in cost burden estimates.
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