Association of Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse with Intimate Partner Violence, Poor General Health and Depressive Symptoms among Pregnant Women

Abstract

ObjectiveWe examined associations of childhood physical and sexual abuse with risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). We also evaluated the extent to which childhood abuse was associated with self-reported general health status and symptoms of antepartum depression in a cohort of pregnant Peruvian women.MethodsIn-person interviews were conducted to collect information regarding history of childhood abuse and IPV from 1,521 women during early pregnancy. Antepartum depressive symptomatology was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Multivariable logistic regression procedures were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).ResultsAny childhood abuse was associated with 2.2-fold increased odds of lifetime IPV (95%CI: 1.72–2.83). Compared with women who reported no childhood abuse, those who reported both, childhood physical and sexual abuse had a 7.14-fold lifetime risk of physical and sexual IPV (95%CI: 4.15–12.26). The odds of experiencing physical and sexual abuse by an intimate partner in the past year was 3.33-fold higher among women with a history of childhood physical and sexual abuse as compared to women who were not abused as children (95%CI 1.60–6.89). Childhood abuse was associated with higher odds of self-reported poor health status during early pregnancy (aOR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.04–1.68) and with symptoms of antepartum depression (aOR = 2.07, 95%CI: 1.58–2.71).ConclusionThese data indicate that childhood sexual and physical abuse is associated with IPV, poor general health and depressive symptoms in early pregnancy. The high prevalence of childhood trauma and its enduring effects of on women’s health warrant concerted global health efforts in preventing violence.

Intimate partner violence against pregnant women: the environment according to Levine's nursing theory

“…Socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents were similar to those of the female population in IPV situation found in other studies (17)(18) . The comparable variables are related to the greater number of single women, with white skin, mostly in their reproductive age, with low education levels, with a low paying job, putting them in unfavorable economic and social levels.…”

Adolescent Relationship Violence in Brazil and Honduras

“…Prior research suggests that women exposed to sexual abuse as children have a much higher likelihood of experiencing IPV (Barrios et al, 2015). Boys who experience abuse (and witness men beating their mothers) are likewise more likely to go on to perpetrate IPV (Contreras et al, 2012).…”

“…The taboos and silence surrounding these forms of violence must be broken so that adolescents can seek help, heal from trauma, and stop the intergenerational transmission of violence. For this reason, IPV prevention programming should include outreach around sexual abuse experienced in childhood or adolescence, which is highly underreported and often associated with women's adult IPV experiences (Bott et al, 2012;Barrios et al, 2015). Similarly, parenting programs that address child abuse represent another avenue with the potential to contribute significantly to adolescent IPV prevention (Lundgren & Amin, 2015).…”

Pogimdyminių Depresinių Sutrikimų Ankstyvoji Diagnostika - Efektyvios Prevencijos Pagrindas

“…Moterys, kurios patiria intymaus partnerio smurtą, dažnai yra patyrusios prievartą vaikystėje. Literatūra nurodo, kad jaunos merginos, kurios vaikystėje patyrė prievartą, daug dažniau ir ateityje suaugusiųjų amžiuje patiria reviktimizaciją [13]. Nėščios moterys, kurios buvo patyru-sios prievartą, ženkliai dažniau susirgdavo antepartum depresija.…”