Domestic violence among Druze women in Israel as reflected by health status and somatization level

Women with a history of physical or emotional abuse demonstrate a higher incidence of medical disorders but may be reluctant to disclose the abuse to health care providers. The present study explored whether measures of health status may serve as an indication of violence against women. Sixty-two Druze women (18-50 years old) completed health status (SF-36 survey), somatization (Brief Symptom Inventory--BSI), and abuse (the Abuse Assessment Screen--AAS) questionnaires during a visit to the family physician in the community primary care clinic. Higher somatization symptoms and diminished health status were associated with severity of violence. Results attest to the value of these measures as an additional indirect device for screening victims of domestic violence in general and among traditional societies in particular. KEYWORDS. Domestic violence, somatization, health status, health care, Druze women, family physician