Effect of Abuse by a Close Family Member on Health

The Consequences of A History of Violence on Women's Pregnancy and Childbirth in the Nordic Countries: A Scoping Review

Violence against women (VAW) is a global challenge also in the childbearing period. Despite high gender equality, there is a high prevalence of VAW in the Nordic countries. This scoping review aims to explore predictors for and consequences of a history of violence on women's pregnancy and childbirth in the Nordic countries, including women's experience of the impact of violence and the interventions used to detect, address consequences, and prevent further violence. The framework by Arksey and O'Malley was followed, and English, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish literature was included. The population was women aged ≥18 residing in the Nordic countries during the perinatal period. Eight databases were searched: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, ASSIA, Social Services-, and Sociological abstracts. There was no limitation of the search time frame. The initial screening resulted in 1,104 records, and after removing duplicates, 452 remained. Finally, 61 papers met the inclusion criteria. The results covering the past 32 years indicated that childbearing women with a history of violence are at greater risk of common complaints and hospitalization during pregnancy, fear of childbirth, Cesarean section, breastfeeding difficulties, and physical and mental health problems. While extensive research was found on the associations between a history of and current violence and outcomes related to pregnancy, there was a lack of intervention studies and studies from Finland. Efforts must be made to scientifically test the methods used to reduce and treat the adverse effects of a history of violence and prevent further violence.

Reaching Out To Women Who Are Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

PURPOSE

To evaluate if disclosure of abuse among female university students and among women at an emergency department varied based on three different types of data collection method used; and to explore women's development of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the outcome on health.

DESIGN AND METHOD

Cross-sectional research design was used (N = 306 women).

FINDINGS

The women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in their current relationship, and had symptoms of PTSD, reported significantly lower physical and mental health. In addition, the women who experienced three types of abuse (physical, mental, and sexual) reported significantly more symptoms of PTSD.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Detecting IPV and screening for PTSD in clinical settings might benefit women who suffer from violence in their intimate relationships.