  Intimate partner violence (IPV) is often studied as a problem that
predominantly affects younger women. However, studies show that older women are
also frequently victims of abuse even though the physical effects of abuse are
harder to detect. In this study, we mined the electronic health records (EHR)
available through IBM Explorys to identify health correlates of IPV that are
specific to older women. Our analyses suggested that diagnostic terms that are
co-morbid with IPV in older women are dominated by substance abuse and
associated toxicities. When we considered differential co-morbidity, i.e.,
terms that are significantly more associated with IPV in older women compared
to younger women, we identified terms spanning mental health issues,
musculoskeletal issues, neoplasms, and disorders of various organ systems
including skin, ears, nose and throat. Our findings provide pointers for
further investigation in understanding the health effects of IPV among older
women, as well as potential markers that can be used for screening IPV.
