Trends and Disparities in Assault Injuries Among Women in California 2005-2022

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociology

Background:

• Women experience significant rates of non-fatal violence and homicides in the US.
• Existing research documents disparities in violence against women but lacks focus on temporal trends within subgroups.
• This study addresses the understudied temporal trends of violence against women across different demographics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify state-level rates of violence against women in California from 2005-2022.
• To analyze these rates by age, race, and ethnicity.
• To identify temporal trends and disparities in violence against women.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of statewide hospital discharge data and death records (2005-2022).
• Identification and categorization of assault injuries using diagnostic codes, noting fatality and firearm involvement.
• Calculation of age-adjusted and age-specific rates per 100,000 person-years, with examination of annual and aggregated trends.

Main Results:

• Black women aged 20-24 had the highest assault injury rate (2,174.96 per 100,000 person-years).
• Assault injury rates were highest among Black women (under 65) and Multiracial women (65+).
• Black women experienced assault injury rates 3.82 times higher than White women, with persistent disparities and an increase in 2022.

Conclusions:

• Assault injury rates among women in California are high and show persistent racial/ethnic disparities.
• Limited progress in violence prevention is suggested by the data.
• Marginalized racial and ethnic groups bear the heaviest burden of assault injuries.