Intimate Partner Violence in a Patient Population with Orthopaedic Trauma

This prospective cohort study determined the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) across gender groups, investigated timing of disclosures during the standard-of-care follow-up period, and examined if there was an association between IPV and clinical outcomes.

This study included 314 patients ≥18 years of age presenting with orthopaedic injuries to the fracture clinics at 2 academic hospitals. Participants were asked about experiences with IPV, return to function, and overall health at each routine clinical follow-up. Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to explore associations between IPV status and return to work, leisure activities, home responsibilities, and overall functioning.

Of the 528 patients approached, 314 provided consent and completed at least the initial visit. Of these, 184 (58.6%) self-identified as women, 126 (40.1%) identified as men, and 3 (1.0%) self-identified as non-binary. Forty-six percent of women reported lifetime experience of IPV, compared with 35% of men and 100% of gender-diverse participants. A smaller proportion of men who disclosed IPV did so at their first visit compared with women, especially with respect to sexual IPV: 6 men (50.0%) compared with 42 women (79.2%). During follow-up, 16 participants (6.7% of 238 who returned to the clinic at least once), including 8 men, 7 women, and 1 gender-diverse participant, disclosed experiencing IPV during their recovery period. Disclosing IPV at any visit was associated with a 45% lower likelihood of returning to a pre-injury level of function with respect to work (hazard ratio [HR], 0.55 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.33 to 0.91]; p = 0.021) and a 36% lower likelihood of returning to a pre-injury overall level of functioning (HR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.46 to 0.90]; p = 0.01).

Results showed an unacceptably high prevalence of IPV in all genders. Gender differences in timing of disclosure emphasize the need for tailored approaches in clinical settings and repeated opportunities for IPV disclosure. This study emphasizes the hidden nature of IPV among patients with orthopaedic trauma and its effects on their health and recovery.

Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.