Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103348

Carol B. Cunradi, MPH, PhD, Genevieve M. Ames, PhD, and Roland S. Moore, PhD. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Prevention Research Center, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 450, Berkeley, CA 94704, 510-883-5771, cunradi@prev.org

The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) among a cohort of blue-collar workers. A pilot study was conducted among a multiethnic convenience sample of English-speaking married or cohabiting unionized construction workers (85 men, 13 women) to test the reliability of measures, and to determine the feasibility of conducting a larger-scale IPV study among blue-collar workers. Participants (mean age 41.1 years, 11.0 SD) voluntarily filled out confidential, self-administered questionnaires on demographics, work stressors, alcohol, past-year IPV, and IPV normative beliefs (i.e., perceived co-worker/peer approval for engaging in IPV). Hazardous drinking, as measured by the AUDIT, was reported by 26 participants. IPV perpetration, as measured with the Conflict Tactics Scale, was reported by 26% of the sample (23.5% of males, 38.5% of females); 29% (28.2% of males, 30.8% of females) reported IPV victimization. Measures of IPV normative beliefs showed excellent reliability (range of Cronbach's alpha= .91-.95), as did measures of perceived workplace racial/ethnic discrimination (range of Cronbach's alpha= .88-.91). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of IPV perpetration found that perceived co-worker/peer approval for engaging in IPV (OR=2.11, p < .05), perceived workplace racial/ethnic discrimination (OR=2.69, p < .01), and hazardous drinking (OR=4.42, p < .05) are significant correlates after controlling for age, race/ethnicity, and gender. Findings suggest that blue-collar workers experience elevated rates of IPV, and that work-related factors may contribute to IPV risk. The findings support the feasibility and importance of conducting a larger workplace-based study of IPV among blue-collar workers.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• describe the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence in a blue-collar sample.
• discuss the contribution of work-related factors to risk of intimate partner violence among blue-collar workers.
• recognize the feasibility and importance of conducting workplace-based intimate partner violence research among blue-collar workers

Keywords: Domestic Violence, Workplace Stressors

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.