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01-05-2007 | Original Article

The Relationship of Abuse to Women’s Health Status and Health Habits

Authors: Gregory C. Tomasulo, John R. McNamara

Published in: Journal of Family Violence | Issue 4/2007

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between exposure to abuse and women’s health status and health behaviors in a sample of rural women. One hundred forty-eight women visiting a community health care center completed survey packets that included measures that assessed: exposure to abuse, impairment associated with exposure to abuse, physical and mental health problems, health behaviors, and the extent of health care usage. Results indicated that exposure to abuse was positively and significantly related to the adoption of a negative psychological perspective, which in turn was negatively correlated with physical and mental health, as well as with the practice of healthy behaviors. Results also showed that women exposed to abuse engage in less healthy behaviors and utilize more health care resources than do women with no such exposure. Implications for improving the assessment and treatment of abuse in health care settings are discussed.

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Title: The Relationship of Abuse to Women’s Health Status and Health Habits
Authors: Gregory C. Tomasulo
John R. McNamara
Publication date: 01-05-2007
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers
Published in: Journal of Family Violence / Issue 4/2007
Print ISSN: 0885-7482
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2851
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-007-9076-0

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The Relationship of Abuse to Women’s Health Status and Health Habits

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