Lifetime Spousal Violence Victimization and Perpetration, Physical Illness, and Health Risk Behaviours among Women in India

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the association between lifetime spousal violence victimization, spousal violence perpetration, and physical health outcomes and behaviours among women in India. In the 2015–2016 National Family Health Survey, a sample of ever-married women (15–49 years) (N = 66,013) were interviewed about spousal violence. Results indicate that 29.9% of women reported lifetime spousal physical violence victimization and 7.1% lifetime spousal sexual violence victimization (31.1% physical and/or sexual violence victimization), and 3.5% lifetime spousal physical violence perpetration. Lifetime spousal violence victimization and lifetime spousal violence perpetration were significantly positively correlated with asthma, genital discharge, genital sores or ulcers, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), tobacco use, alcohol use, and termination of pregnancy, and negatively associated with daily consumption of dark vegetables. In addition, lifetime spousal violence victimization was positively associated with being underweight, high random blood glucose levels, and anaemia, and negatively correlated with being overweight or obese. Lifetime spousal violence perpetration was marginally significantly associated with hypertension. The study found in a national sample of women in India a decrease of lifetime physical and/or sexual spousal violence victimization and an increase of lifetime spousal physical violence perpetration from 2005/5 to 2015/6. The results support other studies that found that, among women, lifetime spousal physical and/or sexual spousal violence victimization and lifetime spousal physical violence perpetration increase the odds of chronic conditions, physical illnesses, and health risk behaviours.

Associations of physical partner violence and sexual violence victimization on health risk behaviours and mental health among university students from 25 countries

“…The study also found some evidence that physical IPV and/or sexual violence victimization was associated other health risk behaviours, such as an unhealthy diet (skipping breakfast and frequent salt intake), as found in a previous study [15]. Contrary to some previous investigations [5,15,[19][20][21][22][23], this study did not find an association between physical IPV and/or sexual violence victimization and physical inactivity, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, not always wearing a seatbelt, poor self-rated health status, and poorer educational outcomes. In addition, some studies found an association between physical IPV and injury [5,10], while this study did not find this association.…”

“…Several studies found that a history of physical IPV and/or sexual violence victimization among adolescents and emerging adults increased the odds for substance use, such as alcohol use or binge drinking [2,5,9,10,13], tobacco use [5,6], drug use [2,5,6,9,10,14], and substance use at last sex [3]. Other health risk behaviours include physical inactivity [5], eating unhealthy foods [15], such as inadequate fruit and vegetable intake [22], and not wearing a seatbelt [15]. Moreover, some studies found as a consequence of physical IPV and/or sexual violence victimization a poor self-rated health status [21,23], poor quality of life [19], and poorer educational outcomes [9,20].…”

Fatores de risco associados à exposição de adolescentes à violência sexual

“…A violência intrafamiliar esteve presente nos estudos como fator instigante na violação dos direitos do adolescente. A exposição à violência no seio familiar é comum entre os adolescentes, com destaque para famílias com menor poder aquisitivo que se encontram propensos a testemunhar e/ou experimentar esse descumprimento dos direitos da criança e do adolescente (32,39,(49)(50)(51)(52)(53). Ao indagar a respeito do motivo que leva os pais ou responsáveis a não exercerem sua função de proteção, observa-se que as ocorrências desses delitos podem ser justificadas pela tolerância social a esse tipo de fenômeno, pois a maioria dessas situações são negligenciadas, seja o adolescente como espectador ou vítima (25,26,32).…”

Optimal gestational weight gain for underweight pregnant women in Japan

“…Pre-pregnancy BMI is related to the birth weight of the child and complications during pregnancy 2 . There is an increased risk of low birth weight 3–8 , foetal growth restriction (FGR) 4,5,9 , threatened preterm delivery, and preterm delivery 3,4,6,10 , and anaemia 3,11 in pre-pregnant underweight women when compared with those with normal weight before pregnancy. A meta-analysis 12 reported that women who gain less weight than that recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) during pregnancy have increased risk of preterm delivery and small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants, while women who gain more weight than that recommended have an increased risk of foetal macrosomia, caesarean delivery, and large-for-gestational age (LGA) infants.…”