Citation

Grande ED, Hickling J, Taylor A, Woollacott T. Aust. N. Zeal. J. Public Health 2003; 27(5): 543-550.

Affiliation

Population Research and Outcome Studies, Department of Human Services, South Australia. eleonora.dalgrande@dhs.sa.gov.au

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Public Health Association of Australia, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1467-842X.2003.tb00831.x

PMID

14651403

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the self-reported prevalence of domestic violence in South Australian adults and to examine the associated risk factors, demographic factors and related health issues using computer-aided telephone interviewing (CATI) methodology. SAMPLE: A representative random sample of South Australian adults aged 18 years and over selected from the Electronic White Pages. Overall, 6,004 interviews were completed (73.1% response rate). RESULTS: In total, 17.8% of adults in South Australia reported some form of domestic violence by a current or an ex-partner. Demographic factors such as low household income, unemployment or part-time employment and health variables such as poor to fair self-reported health status and alcohol abuse problems were found to have a significant relationship with domestic violence. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one in five South Australian adults report physical and emotional abuse from current or ex-partners, of whom the majority are women who are separated, divorced or never married and on lower incomes. Telephone interviewing is a cost-effective method of identifying prevalence estimates of domestic violence when compared with data collection by way of police reports or hospital emergency statistics. IMPLICATIONS: Domestic violence is a serious public health concern often 'hidden' by the lack of appropriate data. This study has shown that domestic violence is frequent and has important social, economic and health consequences.

Language: en