10/27/2026
During October's Domestic Violence (DV) Awareness Month, MountainStar Healthcare is shining a light on the long-term health and medical consequences of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and encouraging those affected to seek help. Dr. Matt Pollard—the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the Southern Utah Market—joined Good Day Utah hosts, Kelly Chapman & Dan Evans, on FOX 13 News to talk about research that suggests these effects can last decades or more.
In an observational cohort study published in June 2025 in BMJ Mental Health—Psychiatry at BMJ Group—the peer reviewed, open access journal from BMJ, data confirmed IPV-related physical abuse (IPV-PA) was associated with higher risk of ongoing clinical diagnoses of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder symptomology, as well as concurrent mental health outcomes. Further, ongoing diagnoses remained higher in midlife in individuals reporting IPV-PA, despite abuse ending many years prior to assessment.
Domestic Violence includes many forms of abuse within relationships. While often associated with IPV, relationship violence can occur across different types of relationships—between partners, family members, and caregivers, as well as others. Different types of relationship violence include:
💜 Teen Dating Violence
💜 Child Abuse/Neglect
💜 Family Violence
💜 Elder Abuse
💜 Violence Against People with Disabilities
💜 Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
If you or someone else is in danger, call 911 immediately. To utilize a wide range of local resources, contact Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, Capsa, and/or Fight Against Domestic Violence. You do not have to navigate this alone.
Healthcare professionals can be an important resource for survivors, and confidential support is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233.
To get involved, visit FADV.org.
MountainStar Healthcare | HCA Healthcare
