Intimate partner violence as a predictor of substance use outcomes among women: A systematic review

Although the correlation between experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use among women has been well-established, there is no consensus on whether or how IPV impacts subsequent substance use behaviors or treatment success. To identify research gaps and implications for substance use treatment, we conducted a systematic review to identify and examine evidence on IPV as a predictor of subsequent substance use behaviors, substance use disorders (SUD), and treatment outcomes among women. We included studies published between 2010 and 2020 that assessed IPV experiences as a predictor of subsequent substance use behaviors (i.e., use initiation, increased use), SUD diagnosis, or treatment outcomes (i.e., incomplete treatment, relapse) among women. From 576 unique records, we included 10 studies (4 longitudinal, 4 cross-sectional, 2 qualitative). Alcohol use and alcohol use disorder were the most commonly studied outcomes (n = 6); findings were mixed regarding the significance of IPV being associated with subsequent alcohol outcomes. Three studies examined illicit drug use, finding that physical and sexual IPV predicted crack/cocaine use and were associated with SUD diagnoses. Four studies examining SUD treatment outcomes found IPV to impede treatment engagement and completion, increasing the likelihood of relapse. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review of the literature on IPV as a predictor of substance use behaviors and treatment outcomes among women. Findings highlight the need for diverse SUD treatment modalities to incorporate IPV screening and referral to appropriate services into their programming to improve SUD management and the overall health and wellbeing of women.