Violence against women before and during gestation: differences in prevalence rates and perpetrators (original) (raw)
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Human Reproduction Archives, 2022
Objective: To identify the prevalence and characteristics related to violence during the gestational period. Methods: A cross-sectional study performed at a Maternity Hospital in the city of Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil. The population was composed of 360 postpartum women who were questioned about the occurrence of physical or sexual violence during pregnancy. Cases of violence committed by an intimate partner or other aggressors were considered. The instrument used was the Portuguese version of the Abuse Assessment Screen, applied confidentially. We used the prevalence of 20% violence against women during pregnancy estimated by the World Health Organization, with absolute error of 5%, significance level of 5% and test power of 80%. The data were analyzed with the Epinfo program, version 3.5.2. Pearson's chi-square test was used, with a p-value of <0.05 and a 95% confidence interval. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee, ABC Medial School, N. 391,622. Results: Sexual violence 19.2% (69) surpassed the prevalence of physical violence 7.8% (28) among pregnant women who were surveyed. The common variable that showed relevance among women who suffered physical and sexual violence was low income in 96.4% and 78.2%, respectively. Conclusions: While a variety of factors influence gestational violence, low income women had higher rates of exposure to the cycle of violence in this population.
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2014
Background: Violence against pregnant women has been associated with gestational and perinatal disorders. Psychological violence is the type least investigated and its associated factors have been little studied. The present study was conducted in order to estimate prevalence rates and analyze the factors associated with exclusive and recurrent psychological violence in the municipality of São Luís, Brazil. Methods: Data regarding 982 pregnant women, aged from 14 to 45 years, interviewed in 2010 and 2011 in a prenatal cohort were used. A self-applied questionnaire was used to screen for violence. Pregnant women submitted to physical and sexual violence were excluded from the analysis of factors associated with exclusive psychological violence. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by a Poisson regression model with a hierarchical approach at three levels. At level 1 of the theoretical-conceptual model, we analyzed demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and variables that express gender inequalities; at level 2, we analyzed social support received by the women, and at level 3, the life experiences of the pregnant women. Results: Prevalence rate of exclusive psychological violence was 41.6% and of recurrent violence was 32.6%. Exclusive psychological violence was associated with pregnant women's age of 14 to 18 years (PR: 1.32 95% CI: 1.04 -1.70), pregnant women's schooling superior to that of her intimate partner (PR: 1.54 95% CI: 1.09 -2.16), inadequate social affective support/positive social interaction (PR: 1.34 95% CI: 1.11 -1.62), use of illicit drugs by the pregnant women (PR: 1.80 95% CI: 1.16 -2.81) and having had six or more intimate partners in life (PR: 1.52 95% CI: 1.18 -1.96). Recurrent exclusive psychological violence was associated with inadequate social affective support/ positive social interaction (PR: 1.47 95% CI: 1.15 -1.87), use of illicit drugs by the pregnant women (PR: 2,28 95% CI: 1,40 -3,71) and having had six or more intimate partners in life (PR: 1.47 95% CI: 1.06 -2.03). Conclusions: Psychological violence was a common phenomenon in this population of pregnant women that was associated with gender inequalities, inadequate social support and illicit drug use and should be routinely investigated during prenatal visits at health care services.
Latin American Journal of Development, 2022
Introduction: Violence against women during pregnancy is recognized as a violation of human rights and reproductive rights, and a serious public health problem. Its prevalence is variable and has a multifactorial cause, requiring permanent monitoring. Method: Cross-sectional study conducted at the Hospital of Mandaqui, São Paulo, Brazil. The Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) was applied to 350 puerperium women, with the outcome of suffering or not physical violence during pregnancy, between September and December 2021. Sociodemographic and reproductive data were considered. We used urn technique, with data were pre-coded, and EpiInfo® analysis by Pearson chi-square and Mann Whitney, adopting p<0.05 and 95% CI value. Research approved by the Research Ethics Committee, CAAE no. 50580421.5.0000.5551. Results: We found 13 cases of physical violence (3.7%) and sample loss of 18.9%. Women with physical violence during pregnancy showed lower mean age (27.7±8.24 x 37.3±6.28); less work (15.4% x 45.1%. p=0.034, OR/
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), 2008
OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with domestic violence against pregnant women. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with 1,379 pregnant women undergoing antenatal care in basic health care units of the Brazilian Health System, within the municipality of Campinas (Southeastern Brazil). A structured questionnaire on domestic violence, validated in Brazil, was applied between July 2004 and July 2006. The fi rst and second interviews in a cohort study were analyzed. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analysis of the data were conducted. RESULTS: Psychological violence was reported by 19.1% (n=263) of the total sample of pregnant women and physical/sexual violence was reported by 6.5% (n=89) of them. The factors associated to psychological violence were: adolescent intimate partner (p<0.019) and the pregnant woman had witnessed physical aggression before she was 15 years old (p<0.001). The factors associated to physical/sexual violence were: diffi culties encountered by the pregnant woman in attending her antenatal appointments (p<0.014), intimate partner uses drugs (p<0.015) and does not work (p<0.048). The factors associated to psychological and physical/ sexual violence were: low level of education of the interviewee (p<0.013 and p<0.020, respectively), the pregnant woman being responsible for the family (p<0.001 and p=0.017, respectively) pregnant woman had suffered physical aggression during childhood (p<0.029 and p<0.038, respectively), presence of common mental disorder (p<0.001) and intimate partner consumes alcoholic beverage twice or more weekly. (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of different categories of domestic violence by an intimate partner during pregnancy was found as well as different factors associated with them. Appropriate mechanisms are necessary, particularly in primary health care, to identify and deal with domestic violence during pregnancy.
Domestic violence against pregnant women Violência doméstica na gravidez
2015
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/19820194201500045 Hospital Maternidade Leonor Mendes de Barros, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Conflicts of interest: the authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. Abstract Objective: To characterize domestic violence in pregnancy. Method: Cross-sectional, exploratory and analytical study of domestic violence with 385 women who attended a public maternity. The Chi-square test of Pearson and Fisher exact test were used to verify associations and considering significant results p<0.05. Data of the sociodemographic characteristics of women, partners and family members and items of “Abuse Assessment Screen-AAS” were collected. Results: Domestic violence compromised 36.9% of women at some point in life and 34.6% during pregnancy. Prevalence rates were due to psychological (97.1%), physical (48.7%) and sexual (4.9%) violence and the partner was the main aggressor. The following ...
Violence against pregnant women and associated factors in the city of Governador Valadares
Revista de Saúde Pública, 2020
OBJECTIVE To characterize violence against women during pregnancy and to verify its association with socioeconomic, demographic, obstetric, behavioral factors, health care and diseases during pregnancy. METHODS Cross-sectional study carried out with puerperal women whose birth took place at the Municipal Hospital of Governador Valadares, in Minas Gerais, from May 2017 to July 2018. Data collection was performed through interviews, and complementary information was obtained by analyzing the prenatal file and medical records. For data analysis, logistic regression was used. RESULTS The total of 771 puerperal women participated in the study. Of these, 62 (8.0%) reported having suffered physical, psychological or sexual violence during pregnancy. The pregnant women most likely to have suffered violence were alcohol dependent (OR = 4.97; 95%CI 2.30–10.75; p < 0.001), those who did not perform prenatal care (OR = 3.88; 95%CI 1.00–15.09; p = 0.050), those who used health services in an ...
Violence against women during pregnancy: sistematized revision
Reprodução & Climatério, 2014
Violence against women is widely recognized as a serious public health problem. The pregnancy is a risk factor for increasing the violence, especially when it is related to socioeconomic conditions. The objective of this work is to ascertain the relation between violence against women during pregnancy in developed countries and in developing countries. It was performed a systematized review. It was proceeded a search of the literature through online databases MEDLINE and SciELO in December 2013, only with articles published between January 1, 2003 and November 30, 2013. The following descriptors were used for searching on the database "domestic violence" (Medical Subject Headings [MeSH]); "violence against women" (Health Sciences Descriptors [DeCS]); and "pregnancy" (Keyword). The Search strategies resulted in 71 studies. After analysis of the titles and abstracts of articles found for eligibility based on inclusion criteria, 43 articles were deleted and 28 articles were included in the final sample. The study revealed the predominance of researches developed about violence against women during pregnancy in developing countries, strengthening the strong socioeconomic character related to victims and aggressors.
Bjog-an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2005
Objective This study aims to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of partner abuse during pregnancy as well as to investigate associated social factors in León, Nicaragua.Design Cross-sectional community-based study.Setting All pregnant women from 50 randomly selected geographical clusters out of 208 in the municipality of León, Nicaragua.Sample A total of 478 pregnant women were included; only one woman refused to participate.Method The domestic violence questionnaire from the WHO-co-ordinated Multi-Country Study on Women's Health and Life Events was used with each participant being interviewed twice during pregnancy.Main outcome measures Prevalence and characteristics of partner violence during pregnancy.Results The prevalence of emotional, physical and sexual abuse during pregnancy was 32.4%, 13.4% and 6.7%, respectively. Seventeen percent reported experience of all three forms of violence. Two-thirds of the victims reported repeated abuse. Half of the abused women had experienced punches and kicks directed towards the abdomen and 93% had been injured. Most women had not sought health care in relation to the abuse, but those who did were usually hospitalised. Factors such as women's age below 20 years, poor access to social resources and high levels of emotional distress were independently associated with violence during pregnancy.Conclusion Violence against pregnant women in Nicaragua is common and often repeated. Although these women have poor access to social resources and high levels of emotional distress, they are rarely assisted by the health services. Innovative strategies are needed to provide support and counselling.
Cadernos de saude publica, 2017
The factors associated with physical violence against pregnant women were analyzed in a cross-sectional study of 1,446 pregnant women from a prenatal cohort who were interviewed in 2010 and 2011 in São Luís, Brazil. In the initial model, socioeconomic status occupied the most distal position, determining sociodemographic factors, social support and the behavioral factors that ultimately determined physical violence, which was investigated as a latent variable. Structural equation modeling was used in the analysis. Pregnant women who were from more disadvantaged backgrounds (p = 0.027), did not reside with intimate partners (p = 0.005), had low social support (p < 0.001) and had a high number of lifetime intimate partners (p = 0.001) reported more episodes of physical violence. Low social support was the primary mediator of the effect of socioeconomic status on physical violence. The effect of marital status was mainly mediated by a high number of lifetime intimate partners.
Institutional violence during the parturition process in Brazil: integrative review
Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 2018
Objective: To identify the types of institutional violence of childbirth reported by the woman, the birth companion and health professionals. Method: Integrative review that analyzed 33 articles in the LILACS, BDENF, INDEXPSI, regional SciELO, Scopus, Web Of Science and PubMed databases. Results: Women were the main violence rapporteur, with predominance of the psychological type. Precarious infrastructure and the imposition of professional decisions were identified by the companion as violence. For health professionals, performing procedures without consent does not characterize violence, but guarantees childbirth security. Final considerations: The most common types of violence in Brazilian maternity hospitals are psychological, physical and structural. Most of the time, violence is reported by women, although professionals also perceive and admit its perpetuation.