Journal article
Presence of children in the home and intimate partner violence among women seeking elective pregnancy termination
PloS one, Vol.12(10), pp.e0186389-e0186389
10/01/2017
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186389
PMCID: PMC5638511
PMID: 29023582
Abstract
Introduction
Growing evidence identifies adverse health effects for children who witness intimate partner violence at home. Research has also identified that women seeking elective pregnancy termination are at high risk for partner violence. However, little is known about the risk for violence exposure among the children of women seeking elective pregnancy termination.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional study of 957 women seeking elective pregnancy termination at a large family planning clinic. All subjects completed a 10-minute, anonymous questionnaire administered by computer in a private room. Our main outcome was 12-month prevalence of physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former partner using the Abuse Assessment Screen instrument. The presence of children under the age of 18 living with the respondent was the main exposure variable.
Results
Women with children in the home had more than twice the odds of reporting physical and/or sexual IPV in the past year than women with no children, controlling for age (AOR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.41–3.85). The increased odds of IPV among women with children as compared to women with no children was present across nearly all sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, and significantly higher for the youngest women (18–20 years). The highest odds for abuse occurred among women with children living at home, in a current relationship but not living with their current partner, and abused by a former partner (AOR = 10.9; 95% CI: 3.07–38.4).
Conclusion
Nearly one of every 14 children identified in this study lived in a home with IPV. These findings support the development of IPV interventions that are family-centered, as well as the integration of trauma-informed care into healthcare settings. Healthcare visits for contraception and pregnancy termination may be ideal opportunities for implementation of screening and family violence interventions.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Presence of children in the home and intimate partner violence among women seeking elective pregnancy termination
- Creators
- Corinne Peek-AsaAudrey F SaftlasAnne B WallisKarisa HarlandPenny Dickey
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- PloS one, Vol.12(10), pp.e0186389-e0186389
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0186389
- PMID
- 29023582
- PMCID
- PMC5638511
- NLM abbreviation
- PLoS One
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- eISSN
- 1932-6203
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science; San Francisco, CA USA
- Grant note
- HDO53850-02 / ; CE-002108 / ;
- Alternative title
- Intimate partner violence and children
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/01/2017
- Academic Unit
- Public Health Administration; Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Emergency Medicine; Nursing; Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive); Law Faculty
- Record Identifier
- 9983997300902771
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