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Intimate partner and nonpartner violence against pregnant women in rural Haiti
Author(s) -
Small Maria J.,
Gupta Jhumka,
Frederic Rikerdy,
Joseph Gabriel,
Theodore Melanie,
Kershaw Trace
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2008.05.008
Subject(s) - domestic violence , pregnancy , medicine , distress , psychiatry , prenatal care , suicide prevention , poison control , family medicine , psychology , clinical psychology , environmental health , population , biology , genetics
Objective To examine the association between violence experienced by pregnant Haitian women in the previous 6 months and pregnancy‐related symptom distress. Methods A total of 200 women seeking prenatal care at community health dispensaries in the Artibonite Valley were interviewed. Results Over 4 in 10 women (44.0%) reported that they had experienced violence in the 6 months prior to interview; 77.8% of these women reported that the violence was perpetrated by an intimate partner. Those who experienced intimate partner violence reported significantly greater pregnancy‐related symptom distress (β = 0.23, P = 0.001). No significant differences between violence perpetrated by family members or others and reporting of symptoms were observed (β = 0.06, P = 0.38). Conclusion The findings indicate the need to integrate violence screening, resources, and primary prevention into prenatal care in rural Haiti.