Violence against women is an important public health problem. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among immigrant Iraqi women, and to explore the association between IPV and self-rated health. A pilot study using a previously published, self-report questionnaire was carried out among a convenience sampling of 55 Iraqi women in greater Detroit. The overall prevalence of controlling behavior, threatening behavior, and physical violence was 93, 76, and 80%, respectively. Approximately 40% of the women reported having poor or fair health, and 90% reported experiencing oneormore types of psychosomatic symptoms. Self-rated health was inversely related to exposure to threatening behavior and physical violence, and positively related to knowledge of one's legal rights. The prevalence of IPV in this sample was high. Results indicated a significant association between exposure to IPV and women's physical health and psychosomatic symptoms. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010.

self rated health Iraqi immigrant women Personal beliefs Psychosomatic symptoms Intimate partner violence

educational status psychological aspect human risk assessment sexuality middle aged Sexual Partners statistics Iraq Marital Status Arab ethnology Arabs Spouse Abuse marriage United States Young Adult Humans Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors pilot study socioeconomics questionnaire cultural factor Incidence women's health Article Questionnaires partner violence adult migration age distribution Cultural Characteristics Battered Women battered woman Pilot Projects