Comparison of patients diagnosed with intimate partner violence with and without brain injury: Retrospective cross-sectional study in a single, urban, academic health system, 2016-2025
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Brain injury (BI) in people who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) is underdiagnosed in health care settings. Our project aims to determine how the prevalence and characteristics of people with documented IPV+BI differ from people with IPV alone. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using electronic health record data at Rush University Medical Center (2016–2025). Adults aged 18 years or older were classified into two groups: IPV with brain injury (IPV+BI) and IPV without brain injury (IPV). Demographics, injury patterns, comorbidities, and pre-diagnosis healthcare utilization between cohorts were compared. Results In 1,329,460 adult patients from 2016 to 2025 seen at Rush, 2,816 were diagnosed with IPV (prevalence = 0.21%). Also, 486 were concomitantly diagnosed with IPV+BI (17.2% of the IPV population). Most (71%) of initial diagnosis documentation occurred in an Emergency Room encounter. Alcohol use disorder, anemia, chronic liver disease, and vascular diseases were more common in the IPV+BI cohort, compared to IPV alone. Prior to diagnosis, the IPV+BI cohort utilized significantly more acute care resources but less ambulatory usage. Discussion Electronic health record documentation of IPV with and without BI mainly occurred in the Emergency Room and was lower than anticipated. People with IPV+BI were more likely to have certain co-morbidities and were less likely to utilize health resources before diagnosis. The findings, if confirmed utilizing data from multiple health systems in the Chicagoland region, can support work to advance diagnosis and management of IPV+BI. KEYPOINTS In 1,329,460 adult patients from 2016 to 2025 seen at Rush, 2,816 were diagnosed with IPV (prevalence = 0.21%) which is lower than reported from public health datasets. Also, 486 were concomitantly diagnosed with IPV+BI (17.2% of the IPV population). The IPV and IPV+BI were initially documented during an emergency room encounter (71% overall, 68% for IPV alone and 93% for IPV+BI) with injury type mainly being unspecified or other head injury rather (74%) rather than traumatic brain injury or strangulation. In the IPV+BI cohort, alcohol use disorder, anemia, chronic liver disease, and vascular diseases were significantly more common than the IPV alone. Before diagnosis, the IPV+BI cohort utilized more acute care but lacked ambulatory usage.
Source: medRxiv
Institutions: Rush University Medical Center, DePaul University
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7223321974