Age-specific Patterns of Intimate Partner Violence Related Injuries in US Emergency Departments

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Trauma Surgery
• Forensic Medicine

Background:

• Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue affecting individuals across the lifespan.
• Understanding age-specific injury patterns is crucial for effective prevention and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and compare intimate partner violence (IPV)-related injury patterns in U.S. patients across three age groups: adolescents (<18 years), emerging adults (18-25 years), and adults (>25 years).

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of a nationally representative sample of U.S. Emergency Department visits for IPV-related injuries between 2005 and 2020.
• Statistical analysis of demographics and injury patterns, accounting for weighted stratified data.
• Comparison of injury morphology, mechanism, severity, location, and temporal associations across the three age groups.

Main Results:

• Adolescents showed a higher proportion of female victims, sexual assault cases, and lower trunk injuries compared to older groups.
• Injury severity, fracture prevalence, and hospital admissions increased with age.
• Adolescents had more head, neck, hand, finger, and distal lower extremity fractures, while trunk fractures were more common in older adults. Peak IPV-related ED visits for adolescents occurred in June and September, with Tuesdays being the peak day.

Conclusions:

• Injurious IPV affects all age groups, with distinct patterns observed in adolescents, including higher rates of sexual assault.
• Injury severity escalates with age, highlighting the vulnerability of younger populations.
• Age-specific injury data can inform healthcare professionals and policymakers in developing targeted interventions for IPV victims.