Domestic violence and trauma care in teenage pregnancy: does paternal age make a difference?
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether teenagers partnered with adult men were more likely to report domestic violence and trauma-related care during pregnancy than teenagers partnered with male peers.


METHODS
Nonexperimental, descriptive comparative design.


METHODS
Postpartum unit in a large, urban teaching hospital.


METHODS
English-speaking teenagers who recently delivered a live infant.


METHODS
Semistructured interviews lasting from 30 minutes to 2 hours.


METHODS
The Abuse Assessment Screen, the Danger Assessment Scale.


METHODS
Domestic violence and trauma-related care during pregnancy.


RESULTS
Teenagers with adult partners were not more likely to report domestic violence or seek trauma-related care during pregnancy than teenagers with peer-age partners.


CONCLUSIONS
Researchers, policy makers, and health care providers should continue to address violence occurring among pregnant teenagers by identifying subgroups who may be at increased risk of abuse.
Harner
Holly M
HM
William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010331:Paternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology