Recent research shows that abused women will spend considerably more on health care than those not facing abuse.
As they seek treatment for injuries caused by their abuser, the costs can be nearly fifty percent more.
The data was gathered by studying 3,333 women, by random selection, living in the Pacific Northwest.
Over a period of more than ten years, the survey noted patterns of physical and emotional abuse; this ill treatment was mainly carried out by spouses or close partners. In parallel, the women’s health requirements were logged enabling this study to produce very valuable data.
Group Health is a health insurance company, and it was their customers that were used in the survey. It was funded by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Group Health Community Foundation.
Full details of the research, was recently uploaded to the on-line journal, Health Services Research.
One of the author’s of the study, Amy Bonomi, recognized that there is a high price to pay in health costs for someone suffering from spousal abuse [abusive relationship]. The pain, both physical and emotional should be sufficient for these poor women to go through.
Mental health was a big issue for both types of abuse, with battered women over two times more likely to seek treatment for mental health issues, compared with women who were perfectly safe in their homes.
This indicates that doctors practicing in the area of mental health should enquire more often about possible abuse when assessing a patient’s needs.
I would agree with that. My friend was abused and seem to have more health issues but of course that doesn’t prove anything because she could have these health issues even if she didn’t get abused.