Details:

Alternative Title:
Am J Prev Med
Personal Author:
Gressard, Lindsay A. ; Swahn, Monica H. ; Tharp, Andra Teten
Gressard, Lindsay A. ; Swahn, Monica H. ; Tharp, Andra Teten Less -
Description:
Introduction

One of ten U.S. high school students is a victim of adolescent dating violence (ADV). Understanding ADV risk factors guides prevention efforts; however, research examining community- and societal-level risk factors is scant. Societal gender inequality is a known risk factor for violence against women, but has yet to be explored in relation to ADV. This study aims to determine whether the Gender Inequality Index (GII) correlates with levels of physical and sexual ADV victimization across U.S. states.

Methods

State-representative prevalence rates of self-reported physical and sexual ADV victimization were obtained from the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The state GII includes five indicators: (1) maternal mortality; (2) adolescent birth rate; (3) government representation; (4) educational attainment; and (5) labor force participation. Pearson correlation coefficients determined the association between physical and sexual ADV victimization, the GII, and GII indicators. Analyses were conducted in August 2014.

Results

Among U.S. states, the prevalence of physical ADV victimization in 2013 ranged from 7.0% to 14.8%, and the prevalence of sexual ADV victimization ranged from 7.8% to 13.8%. The GII was significantly associated with the state prevalence of female physical ADV victimization (r=0.48, p<0.01) but not female sexual ADV victimization. Neither physical nor sexual male ADV victimization was associated with the GII.

Conclusions

This exploratory study suggests that gender inequality may be a societal-level risk factor for female physical ADV victimization. As ADV prevention strategies are implemented at the state level, further research examining the effect of gender inequality on ADV is needed.


Subjects:
[+]
Adolescent Adolescent Behavior Courtship Crime Victims Female Humans Intimate Partner Violence Male Prevalence Risk Factors Sex Factors Surveys And Questionnaires
Source:
Am J Prev Med. 49(3):448-457.
Pubmed ID:
26296443
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC5890918
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
Place as Subject:
United States
Collection(s):
CDC Public Access
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:25a04bc429b9dd59496c87aa67c4967b8dd9bffd10940a8c0dcbef954fb81c25
Download URL:
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/53216/cdc_53216_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

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