The relationship between housing instability and intimate partner violence: A retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Women's Health

Background:

• Housing instability (HI) is a significant social determinant of health.
• Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health issue affecting women.
• Understanding the intersection of HI and IPV is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal relationship between housing instability and intimate partner violence among women.
• To identify individual, situational, and social structural factors associated with this relationship.
• To examine if race/ethnicity modifies the association between housing instability and intimate partner violence.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective secondary data analysis using the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study.
• Sample comprised 4,000 women reporting housing status at year 5.
• Housing instability as the primary independent variable; IPV (no IPV or IPV over time) as the dependent variable.

Main Results:

• Women aged 20-24, Black women, those without a high school diploma, and employed women with incomes <$10,000 USD reported higher rates of housing instability.
• Race/ethnicity did not significantly modify the relationship between housing instability and intimate partner violence over time.

Conclusions:

• Younger women (early to mid-twenties), with lower educational attainment and low-wage employment, are at increased risk for both housing instability and intimate partner violence.
• Healthcare providers, particularly nurses, should expand screening beyond traditional methods to identify women at elevated risk for housing instability.
• Proactive identification of housing instability can facilitate early intervention for intimate partner violence.