Post-traumatic stress disorder and health-related quality of life in female victims of intimate partner violence

The association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and health-related quality of life (QOL) in female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) was examined. The Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to evaluate health-related QOL. IPV victims with PTSD (IPV/PTSD+; n = 18), IPV victims without PTSD (IPV/PTSD-; n = 22), and a non-abused control group (NA; n = 30) were compared. Multiple Analyses of Covariance (covarying for socioeconomic status and age) indicated that the three groups scored significantly differently on health-related QOL, and the IPV/PTSD- group was significantly more impaired than the NA group. IPV/PTSD+ subjects were significantly more impaired than IPV/PTSD- subjects on physical functioning, mental health, vitality, role limitations due to emotional health, and social functioning. Multiple regression analyses indicated that PTSD severity was a significant statistical predictor of SF-36 mental health composite scores (but not of physical health composite scores), after controlling for depressive symptomatology and extent of physical and psychological abuse.