Women and intimate partner violence: Prevalence of hospital visits and nature of injuries in the Icelandic population

Aims: The purpose of this study was to analyse the prevalence of hospital visits and nature of injuries caused by intimate partner violence (IPV) against women and associated costs. Methods: All visits to Landspitali National University Hospital by women 18 years or older subjected to IPV, inflicted by a current or former male partner during 2005–2014, were observed and analysed. Information was obtained on number, date and time of visits and admissions, place of occurrence, patients’ and perpetrators’ age and relationship, number of perpetrators, medical diagnosis, aetiology, injury severity and cost. Results: The number of new hospital visits due to IPV was 1454, of which 92.6% were to the Emergency Department. The average age of the women was 34 years and 3.2% were admitted. According to the Injury Severity Score, physical injuries were mostly minor (92.4%) and mainly located on the upper body (64.3%) – namely, face, head and neck (37.1%) and upper limbs (27.2%). The majority of injuries were superficial (76.2%) and punching (29.7%), shoving (17.8%), kicking (10.5%) and attempted strangulation (9.8%) were the most common types of aetiology. Repeated new visits were 37.8%. The total cost for the hospital relating to IPV was €783,330. Conclusions: The total number of new visits resulting from IPV was 1454, and prevalence was 1.69 per 1000 women in the capital area over the research period. The majority of women were shown to have minor physical injuries of a superficial nature, located on the upper body. Although a low percentage of women were admitted, the associated cost for visits and admissions was substantial.