Chronic tension in IPV is associated with which health outcome for women?

• A. Poor general health
• B. Immediate physical fitness improvements
• C. No health impact
• D. Decreased risk of chronic illness

Answer: (A)

Chronic tension from intimate partner violence places the body in a prolonged state of stress, and that ongoing activation of the stress response takes a toll on overall health. When threat persists, sleep quality suffers, pain and fatigue become common, mental health can decline, and inflammation can rise, all of which accumulate to worsen a person’s general health over time. Even without a single acute injury, these cumulative effects lead to poorer general health and greater functional difficulties, which is why this outcome is most consistently linked to chronic tension in IPV. The other options don’t fit because immediate fitness improvements aren’t expected from chronic stress, there is evidence of health impact rather than none, and the pattern is not a decreased risk of chronic illness but an increased risk.