Traumatic Brain Injury Among Women Veterans: An Invisible Wound of Intimate Partner Violence

BACKGROUND:Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent among women Veterans and is known to increase women’s risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI). IPV-related TBI has not been examined in the women Veteran population. OBJECTIVES:To identify the occurrence of IPV-related TBI in a sample of women Veterans and examine the associations of IPV-related TBI with sociodemographic characteristics, health symptoms, health care utilization, and IPV experiences. RESEARCH DESIGN:Cross-sectional mail survey conducted in 2013. SUBJECTS:The sample comprised 176 New England Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) women Veteran patients. MEASURES:Self-reported IPV-related TBI was assessed with a modified VA TBI screening tool. The survey included validated measures of depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Posttraumatic Disorder Checklist) symptoms, as well as overall mental and physical health (SF-12), and IPV (Conflict Tactics Scales-Revised-2). Questions assessed past-year VA and non-VA health care use. RESULTS:A total of 18.8% (n=33) met screening criteria for IPV-related TBI history. Women who experienced IPV-related TBI reported significantly higher depression (mean Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale scores26.6 vs. 20.7, P