Health-care utilization after domestic violence: A nationwide study in Taiwan comparing individuals with and without...

Although individuals with intellectual disability (ID) experiencing domestic violence (DV) have greater health-care needs than do those without ID, research on the health-care utilization patterns of these individuals is lacking.

To examine whether ID influences health-care utilization among those who experience DV.

This retrospective cohort study used nationwide data from Taiwan's Family Violence dataset and National Health Insurance claims data from 2011 to 2022. The primary outcome measures were the frequency of general outpatient and psychiatric visits before and after the DV incident. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to analyze trends in health-care utilization over time after adjustment for covariates.

The results of an analysis of health-care utilization from 3 months before to 3 months after a DV incident indicated that individuals with ID visited general outpatient and psychiatric clinics more than individuals without ID did. Additionally, GEE analysis results revealed that from the first to the second month following DV, health-care utilization was greater in the ID group, who had 21.23 % more general outpatient visits and 52.05 % more psychiatric visits than did those without ID, indicating prolonged negative health effects associated with DV in these individuals.

Individuals with ID who experience DV have prolonged health-care needs after DV compared with individuals without ID. For sustained recovery and improved long-term results, post-DV support should be responsive to a person's disability status and specific needs.