The Spatial Epidemiology of Intimate Partner Violence: Do Neighborhoods Matter?

We examined whether neighborhood-level characteristics influence spatial variations in the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). Geocoded data on IPV cases with associated protection orders (n = 1,623) in the city of Valencia, Spain (2011-2013), were used for the analyses. Neighborhood units were...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of epidemiology 2015-07, Vol.182 (1), p.58-66
Main Authors: Gracia, Enrique, López-Quílez, Antonio, Marco, Miriam, Lladosa, Silvia, Lila, Marisol
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bayes Theorem
Bayesian analysis
Domestic violence
Domestic Violence - statistics & numerical data
Emigrants and Immigrants - statistics & numerical data
Epidemiology
Female
Humans
Male
Neighborhoods
Regression Analysis
Residence Characteristics - statistics & numerical data
Risk factors
Socioeconomic Factors
Spain
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Summary:We examined whether neighborhood-level characteristics influence spatial variations in the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). Geocoded data on IPV cases with associated protection orders (n = 1,623) in the city of Valencia, Spain (2011-2013), were used for the analyses. Neighborhood units were 552 census block groups. Drawing from social disorganization theory, we explored 3 types of contextual influences: concentrated disadvantage, concentration of immigrants, and residential instability. A Bayesian spatial random-effects modeling approach was used to analyze influences of neighborhood-level characteristics on small-area variations in IPV risk. Disease mapping methods were also used to visualize areas of excess IPV risk. Results indicated that IPV risk was higher in physically disordered and decaying neighborhoods and in neighborhoods with low educational and economic status levels, high levels of public disorder and crime, and high concentrations of immigrants. Results also revealed spatially structured remaining variability in IPV risk that was not explained by the covariates. In this study, neighborhood concentrated disadvantage and immigrant concentration emerged as significant ecological risk factors explaining IPV. Addressing neighborhood-level risk factors should be considered for better targeting of IPV prevention.
ISSN:0002-9262
1476-6256
DOI:10.1093/aje/kwv016