Intimate partner violence perpetration and mental health service use in England: analysis of nationally representative survey data

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence perpetration (IPVP) is associated with psychiatric disorders, but an association with mental health service use has not been fully established and is relevant for policy. Mental health service contact by perpetrators of intimate partner violence presents an opportunity for reducing harmful behaviours. AIMS: To examine the association between IPVP and mental health service use. METHOD: Analysis of national probability sample data from the 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, testing for associations between lifetime IPVP and mental health service use. We assessed the impact of missing data with multiple imputation and examined misreporting using probabilistic bias analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of reported lifetime IPVP was similar for men (8.0%) and women (8.6%). Before adjustments, IPVP was associated with mental health service use (odds ratio (OR) for any mental health service use in the past year for men: 2.8 (95% CI: 1.8–4.2), for women: 2.8 (95% CI: 2.1–3.8)). Adjustments for intimate partner violence victimisation and other life adversities had an attenuative influence. Associations remained on restricting comparisons with those without criminal justice involvement (OR for any mental health service use in the past year for men: 2.9 (95% CI: 1.7–4.8), for women: 2.3 (95% CI: 1.7–3.2)). CONCLUSION: The strong association of IPVP with mental health service use is partly attributable to the concurrent presence of intimate partner violence victimisation and other life adversities. Efforts to improve the identification and assessment of IPVP in mental health services could benefit population health.