Traumatic brain injury and PTSD symptoms as a consequence of intimate partner violence Katherine M. Iverson a,b, ⁎ , Christina M. Dardis a,b , Terri K. Pogoda c,d a Women's Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Avenue (116B-3), Boston, MA, 02130, United States b Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, United States c Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S. Huntington Avenue (Building 9), Boston, MA, 02130, United States d Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, United States Abstract Objective: To effectively diagnose and treat women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), it is important to identify the full range of physical and mental health consequences, including hidden wounds such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We aimed to identify the occurrence of IPV-related TBI and associated PTSD symptoms among women veterans who experienced IPV. Methods: A web-based survey was administered in 2014 to a national sample of U.S. women veterans. Among 411 respondents (75% participation rate), 55% reported IPV during their lives. These participants (N = 224) completed screening measures of IPV-related TBI, PTSD, and past-year IPV and comprised the current sample. Results: A total of 28.1% (n = 63) met criteria for IPV-related TBI history, and 12.5% (n = 28) met criteria for IPV-related TBI with current symptoms. When adjusting for race, income, and past-year IPV, women with IPV-related TBI with current symptoms were 5.9 times more likely to have probable IPV-related PTSD than those with no IPV-related TBI history. Despite symptom overlap between TBI and PTSD, women with IPV-related TBI with current symptoms were significantly more likely to meet criteria for all four DSM-5 PTSD symptom clusters compared to women with an IPV-related TBI history without current symptoms (Cramér's V′s = .34–.42). Conclusion: Findings suggest there may be clinical utility in screening women who experience lifetime IPV for both TBI and PTSD symptoms in order to help clinicians better target their examinations, treatment, and referrals. Published by Elsevier Inc. 1. Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a worldwide population health problem [1], and is associated with poor psychological and physical health, disability, and premature death [1,2]. It is a leading cause of injury to women in the United States (U.S.) [3], and women veterans are 1.6 times more likely to experience IPV during their lifetime than non-veteran women [4]. Although the field does not yet have a comprehensive understanding of why women who have served in the military are at heightened risk for IPV, several studies have found that a history of interpersonal violence, particularly military sexual trauma, increased risk for IPV among women Veterans [5–7]. Research suggests that much of the IPV that women veterans Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Comprehensive Psychiatry 74 (2017) 80 – 87 www.elsevier.com/locate/comppsych This work was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration, Health Services Research and Develop- ment (HSR&D) Services as part of Dr. Iverson's HSR&D Career Development Award (CDA 10-029) and her Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (USA 14-275). Dr. Iverson is an investigator with the Implementation Research Institute, at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis; through an award from the National Institute of Mental Health (5R25MH08091607) and the VA HSR&D Services, Quality Enhancement Research Initiative. This material is also based upon work supported in part by VA HSR&D Investigator Initiated Research Award #11-078 and #11-358. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the VA or United States government. The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. ⁎ Corresponding author at: VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S. Huntington Ave. (116B-3), Boston, MA 02130. Tel.: +1 857 364 2066; fax: +1 857 364 4515. E-mail address: katherine.iverson@va.gov (K.M. Iverson). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.01.007 0010-440X/Published by Elsevier Inc.