Strangulation as an Acquired Brain Injury in Intimate–Partner Violence and Its Relationship to Cognitive and Psychological Functioning: A Preliminary Study

While initial reports have emphasized a global rise in the frequency of intimate partner violence following COVID-19, emerging data are now showing a concerning surge in the severity of COVID-19-induced physical intimate partner violence. One of the most dangerous, frequent, yet hidden consequences of severe physical intimate partner violence is acquired brain injury, including repetitive mild traumatic brain injury and hypoxic brain injury. Although the increase in high-risk physical abuse during COVID-19 is gaining recognition, what still remains absent is the urgent discussion on intimate partner violence–related acquired brain injury during these times. The potential analogous surge in intimate partner violence–related acquired brain injury may have implications for both healthcare providers and healthcare actions/policies as repeated brain injuries have been associated with residual functional deficits and chronic disability. In addition, even in the pre-pandemic times, intimate partner violence–related acquired brain injury is likely unrecognized and/or misclassified due to overlap in symptoms with other comorbid disorders. This review aimed to raise awareness about intimate partner violence–related acquired brain injury within the context of COVID-19. Health actions and policies that should be considered as part of the pandemic response to minimize adverse outcomes associated with intimate partner violence–related acquired brain injury have also been discussed.

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Beyond football: Intimate partner violence and concussion/brain injury.

Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne ◽

10.1037/cap0000208 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 61 (2) ◽

pp. 163-166

Author(s):

Angela Colantonio

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner

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Head Trauma in a Community-Based Sample of Victims of Intimate Partner Violence: Prevalence, Mechanisms of Injury and Symptom Presentation

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/08862605211016362 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088626052110163

Author(s):

Jessica E. Meyer ◽

Varna Jammula ◽

Peter A. Arnett

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Head Trauma ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Physical Violence ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Difficulty Breathing ◽

History Of ◽

Subconcussive Head Trauma

Objective. The present study aimed to explore the prevalence of subconcussive head trauma, traumatic brain injury (TBI), potential hypoxic events, and hypoxic brain injury (HBI) in victims of physical intimate partner violence (IPV). The study also aimed to characterize the injury presentation and mechanisms of injury in this population. Method. A group of 47 female participants with a history of at least one relationship that included physical violence completed a structured interview assessing for subconcussive hits, TBI, and HBI. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 55, and had an average of 15.3 years of education. Forty-four participants completed the structured interview in person and three participants completed the interview over the phone. Results. The majority of participants reported sustaining at least one impact to the head and approximately half of the participants sustained at least one impact that resulted in a mild TBI. Approximately half of the participants experienced at least one incident of having difficulty breathing due to a violent act from their partner, and approximately one-third of participants reported symptoms consistent with mild HBI. The most common mechanisms of injury were being hit with a closed fist and being strangled. Conclusions. The high levels of head trauma observed in this study highlight the need for clinical and community providers to screen victims of physical IPV for head trauma. The unique characteristics of this population (female sex, high frequency of injuries, and presence of HBIs) indicate that research evaluating the cognitive effects of injuries in this population is needed.

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Exploring the intersection of traumatic brain injury and mental health in survivors of intimate partner violence

University of Toronto Journal of Public Health ◽

10.33137/utjph.v2i2.37002 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Danielle Toccalino ◽

Amy Moore ◽

Sophia Chuon Gutierrez ◽

Angela Colantonio ◽

Christine M. Wickens ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Partner Violence ◽

The United States ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Future Research ◽

Heterosexual Relationships ◽

Economic Implications

Introduction: One in four Canadian women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased rates of IPV globally and the level of violence encountered, exposing IPV survivors to greater risk of physical injury, including traumatic brain injury (TBI). Up to 75% of survivors are suspected of sustaining a TBI and 50-75% experience mental health or substance use challenges (MHSU) as a result of IPV, resulting in extensive personal, social, and economic implications. Objective: The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize what is currently known in the literature about MHSU and TBI among survivors of IPV and identify gaps. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant articles using a search strategy including text words and subject headings related to TBI, IPV, and MHSU. Two reviewers independently assessed articles for inclusion. Results: The search identified 399 unique articles, 34 of which were included in this study. Of these, 11 articles reported on MHSU in IPV-related TBI and 9 articles reported on both TBI and MHSU in IPV but did not discuss the groups together. The remainder were reviews or theses that noted MHSU in IPV-related TBI. Included articles predominantly focused on cis-gendered women in heterosexual relationships and were conducted in the United States. Only three articles focused on the experiences of Black or Indigenous women and none of the included studies discussed implications of co-occurring TBI and MHSU on survivor’s healthcare-related needs or access to care. Conclusions: Despite the high rates of co-occurring TBI and MHSU among survivors of IPV, there is little research on this intersection and no investigation of the impacts on the health system. Future research should focus on identifying the healthcare-related needs of survivors and identifying and mitigating barriers to access.

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Neural Correlates of Traumatic Brain Injury in Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Structural and Functional Connectivity Neuroimaging Study

Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation ◽

10.1097/htr.0000000000000758 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. E30-E38

Author(s):

Jirapat Likitlersuang ◽

Emma M. Brown ◽

David H. Salat ◽

Katherine M. Iverson ◽

Kimberly Werner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Women Survivors ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Neural Correlates ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Neuroimaging Study

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Living in Fear and Prioritizing Safety: Exploring Women’s Lives After Traumatic Brain Injury From Intimate Partner Violence

Qualitative Health Research ◽

10.1177/1049732318786705 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (11) ◽

pp. 1708-1718 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Amanda St Ivany ◽

Linda Bullock ◽

Donna Schminkey ◽

Kristen Wells ◽

Phyllis Sharps ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Theory Approach ◽

Central Process ◽

Daily Lives ◽

Risk Of Death

There is increasing evidence that women are receiving a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during episodes of intimate partner violence (IPV), but little qualitative research exists around how surviving this experience impacts the lives of women. Primary and secondary data ( N = 19) were used with a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore the lives of women aged 18 to 44 years, who were living with a TBI from IPV. Women described multiple aspects of living in fear that shaped their daily lives and ability to seek help and access resources. The central process of prioritizing safety emerged, with salient dimensions of maintaining a present orientation, exhibiting hyperprotection of children, invoking isolation as protection, and calculating risk of death. These findings add to the growing body of knowledge that women living with IPV are at high risk for receiving a TBI and are therefore a subgroup in need of more prevention and treatment resources.

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