Emotional and Physical Symptoms Following Intimate Partner Violence Victimization in the United States: Implications for Law and Public Health Policy

Abstract

This study investigates the lasting emotional and physical symptoms experienced by survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States. Analyzing national survey data from 2009 to 2023, the researchers examined whether sustaining a serious physical injury (such as broken bones, gunshot wounds, internal injuries, or loss of consciousness) is associated with subsequent health symptoms. The findings reveal that IPV survivors who sustain serious injuries have significantly higher odds of experiencing both emotional symptoms (such as feeling vulnerable, unsafe, or distrustful) and physical symptoms (including headaches, chronic fatigue, and muscle tension). This highlights the compounding burden of physical injury on overall well-being and emphasizes the critical need for integrated medical, legal, and mental health interventions to support survivors.

Dr. Gia Elise Barboza-Salerno

Director

I am an interdisciplinary scholar whose research integrates law, public health, social work, and advanced statistics to study childhood adversity, violence-related harm, and neighborhood-level inequities. I lead the ISSUES Lab at Ohio State, translating spatial and legal analysis into policy and practice.

Dr. Karla Shockley McCarthy

Co-Director

Dr. Karla Shockley, PhD, LMSW, TRCC, FSW, is a Principal Investigator and Senior Research Consultant at the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center, where she leads applied health services and population health research. She uses a collaborative team approach to design and execute mixed methods studies, develops survey instrumentation, oversees qualitative and quantitative analyses, and employs various dissemination methods. Her work centers on translating complex data into actionable insights that inform public health.

Taylor Harrington

PhD Candidate, Methodologist

Taylor Harrington, MS, is a PhD candidate in Public Health at The Ohio State University. To investigate how multi-level factors shape health behaviors and outcomes, she integrates advanced computational and geospatial methods, including machine learning (e.g., computer vision, random forests, structured topic modeling, text mining) and geospatial modeling (e.g., Bayesian spatial modeling, remote sensing). Through this work, she aims to generate actionable evidence to inform equitable health policy and community-level interventions.

Dr. Amy Watson-Grace

PhD Candidate, Methodologist

Dr. Amy Watson-Grace is a PhD candidate and occupational therapist with advanced pediatric board certification and extensive clinical and leadership experience.