Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice faculty, presented at the 2016 Alaska Maternal Child Health & Immunization Conference in Anchorage on September 27. She discussed "Intimate Partner Violence, Mental Health, and Food Insecurity." In her comments, Dr. Blumenstein noted that preliminary evidence suggests intimate partner violence (IPV) impacts food insecurity, and food insecurity is clearly associated with adverse mental health problems. She suggests that given the high rate of IPV in Alaska, more research is needed to clarify the interaction of IPV and food insecurity on the mental health of women across racial/ethnic groups, especially American Indian and Alaska Native women.
A focus of the conference was best practices or tools for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of key women's, children's, and adolescents' health issues in Alaska. This biennial event is sponsored by the Alaska Native Epidemiology Center and the Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Women's, Children's, and Family Health.
