Deanna L Mulvihill
RN PhD, Multi-State privilage, USA
Title: Women, Trauma and Alcohol Dependency: Connections and Disconnections In Alcohol Treatment
Biography
Biography: Deanna L Mulvihill
Abstract
Women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) are at greater risk for physical and mental health problems including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol dependency. On their own IPV, PTSD and alcohol dependency result in significant personal, social and economic cost and the impact of all three may compound these costs. Researchers have reported that women with these experiences are more difficult to treat; many do not access treatment and those who do, frequently do not stay because of difficulty maintaining helping relationships. However, these women’s perspective have not been previously studied. The purpose of this study is to describe the experience of seeking help for alcohol dependency by women with PTSD and a history of IPV in the context in which it occurs.