Pathways and trajectories linking housing instability and poor health among low-income women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV): Toward a conceptual framework

Abstract

We used grounded theory to understand pathways and trajectories to housing instability (HI) and poor health among low-income women with experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV). We conducted in-depth interviews during 2010-11 with forty-one women (ages 18-45 years) living in Ontario, Canada. All women reported depressive symptoms in combination with other health problems. In addition to the direct pathway of IPV to poor health, thematic analysis revealed an indirect multi-tiered pathway with complex trajectories among IPV, HI, and poor health. These trajectories included material HI (homelessness, high mobility, evictions, problems paying rent, hiding, and landlord discrimination), psychological HI (feeling unsafe, low self-esteem, and poor control), and social trajectories (financial problems, loss of employment, income, or social networks, and leaving school). These trajectories elevated stress and decreased self-care (unhealthy behaviors, substance abuse, and reduced medical compliance) and exacerbated poor health already compromised by IPV. Depending on her specific context, each woman experienced these pathways and trajectories differently. Moreover, the women's experiences differed across three time periods: before, immediately after, and long after leaving an abusive relationship. Finally, we found that for these women, achieving stable housing was crucial for stabilizing their health.

Intimate partner violence against married rural-to-urban migrant workers in eastern China: prevalence, patterns, and associated factors

“…In this study, compared to respondents migrating to one or two cities, those migrating above five cities were about twice more likely to report physical IPV. It is clear that frequent moves could increase the likelihood of unstable living situations, and several studies have demonstrated that housing instability was a significant predictor of domestic violence [49, 50]. As such, our study confirmed that urbanization seems to decrease risk of IPV but placement instability could increase risk of IPV among the married rural-to-urban migrant workers.…”

Patterns of healthcare services utilization associated with intimate partner violence (IPV): Effects of IPV screening and receiving information on support services in a cohort of perinatal women

“…and its handling of VAW [26]. External societal factors surrounding women's status and the actions of perpetrators [20] can also affect women's help seeking behaviors and whether women disclose IPV to a HCP [27,28]. Meanwhile, a related gap remains understudied among minority women experiencing IPV, whose help seeking was even lower [29,30], as they face more social and economic barriers to HCS use than others [23,[31][32][33][34].…”

Where Did She Go? The Transformation of Self-Esteem, Self-Identity, and Mental Well-Being among Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence

“…In this article, we consider this broader definition of mental well-being that includes self-esteem and identity as core components. The aim of this study was to build on the body of literature on IPV and identity by examining such experiences among a sample of low income women who also had experiences of housing instability (Daoud, et al, 2014). Studies consistently show that women of low socioeconomic status have higher rates of IPV than high socioeconomic status women Cunradi, Caetano, & Schafer, 2002;Hill et al, 2009;Tolman & Raphael, 2000).…”