Health Care : Current Reviews

Intimate partner violence and physical and mental health among women utilizing community health services in Gujarat, India

Global Healthcare & Fitness Summit

July 20-22, 2015 San Francisco, USA

Tomi Thomas2, Vikas Ganta2, Kyl Myers1 and Akiko Kamimura1

1University of Utah, USA 2The Catholic Health Association of India, India

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Health Care: Current Reviews

Abstract:

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health threat which causes injury and acute and chronic physical and mental health problems. In India, a high percentage of women experience IPV. The purposes of this study is to describe the lifetime prevalence of IPV, and to examine the association between IPV and physical and mental health wellbeing, among women utilizing community health services for the economically disadvantaged in India. Methods: Women utilizing community health services (N=219) aged between 18 and 62 years completed a self-administered survey in Gujarat, India. Standardized instruments were used to measure perceived physical and mental health well-being. In addition, participants were asked about their lifetime experience with IPV and socio-demographic questions. Analysis was restricted to the ever-married participants who completed the questions on IPV (N=167). Results: Participants with a lifetime history of IPV were more likely to have reported poorer physical and mental health compared to those without a lifetime history of IPV. More than half of the participants with an IPV history experienced multiple types of IPV (physical, sexual and or emotional IPV). While being in the highest caste was a significant positive factor associated with better health, caste and other socio-demographic factors were not associated with IPV. Conclusions: Women in India face risk of IPV. Yet those experiencing IPV do not seek help or rely on informal help sources. Community health organizations may take a role in IPV prevention and intervention. Diversity of intervention options would be important to encourage more women with IPV experience to seek help.

Biography :

Email: research@chai-india.org