Population surveillance for physical violence among adult men and women, Montana 1998.

BACKGROUND

Few epidemiologic studies of physical violence or intimate partner violence provide population-based surveillance data.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the prevalence and describe the characteristics associated with physical violence among adult men and women in the past year.

METHODS

A random sample of Montana households was contacted via the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone survey in 1998 (N=1804).

RESULTS

Five percent of men (39/787) and 3% of women (33/1017) reported experiencing physical violence in the past year. Among respondents reporting physical violence in the past year, women were more likely than men to report that the perpetrator was a current/former partner (58% vs 10%, p</=0.05). Women were also more likely to report that the most recent incident occurred in their homes (58%) as compared to men (13%, p>/=0.05). Men who reported experiencing physical violence in the past year were more likely to be younger and not to be living with a current partner. Women who reported experiencing physical violence in the past year were more likely to be younger, not currently living with a partner, have no health insurance, and have more days with mental health problems in the past month.

CONCLUSIONS

Recent physical violence is common for both men and women; however, the perpetrators, locations, and demographic characteristics differ. Further study is needed to better understand the factors associated with physical violence among men and women in the context of designing and implementing appropriate interventions to reduce violence.