The researchers from John Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore found that victims of domestic abuse were more likely to approach a doctor who seemed caring and easy to talk to.

Some women said they feared being blamed or disbelieved by their doctor.

The study used questionnaires and focus groups on 21 women who had been abused by their partner and were attending group therapy. The women came from a range of income groups.

Only a third had discussed their abuse with a doctor, despite regular visits in the last year.

Their conditions included asthma, hypertension, headaches, eye pain, severe weight change and depression. These had either been brought on or worsened by abuse.

A quarter of the women had been prescribed medication for depression, sleep disorder or anxiety and several were afraid of becoming addicted to the pills.

Many of women had not initially realised their symptoms were linked to abuse, but a third had noticed their symptoms had improved when they got out of the abusive relationship.

Blame

The main reasons they gave for not telling their doctors of their abuse were shame and denial.

However, a third said they had been stopped from seeking help by their partners who sometimes accompanied them to the doctor or blocked phone calls.

Several of the women had made hints about abuse, but had been disappointed when the doctor did not pick up.

Many thought their doctors were too busy or not interested in probing deeper into the cause of health problems.

The presence in surgeries of posters about domestic violence encouraged some to speak out when they would not previously have done.

British abuse

The research, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, follows a recent British Medical Association study on the impact of domestic abuse on health.

The report, 'Domestic violence: a health care issue?', said only 36% of women who experienced abuse sought help.

The BMA found that women were most likely to turn to their GP for help, but said many cases were being missed because women felt doctors did not probe enough.