title: Factors associated with spousal physical violence in Albania: cross sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence of intimate partner violence and associated factors among married women in Albania.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tirana, the capital city of Albania.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative sample of 1039 married women aged 25-65 living in Tirana and recorded in the 2001 census.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire on intimate partner violence and social and demographic characteristics of the women and their husbands.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women's experience within the past year of being hit, slapped, kicked, or otherwise physically hurt by the husband.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than a third (37%, 384/1039) of women had experienced violence. Risk was greatest among women aged 25-34 (odds ratio 1.47, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.09), women with tertiary education (3.70, 2.04 to 6.67), women in white collar jobs (4.0, 1.59 to 10.0), women with least educated husbands (5.01, 2.91 to 8.64), and women married to men raised in rural areas (3.31, 2.29 to 4.80). Women were at higher risk if they were more educated than their husbands (4.76, 2.56 to 9.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In transitional Albania, the risk of spousal violence is high, and more empowered women are at greater risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tirana, St Dibres, N.371, Tirana, Albania. gburazeri@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Genc
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burazeri
authors.forename: Enver
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roshi
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jewkes
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bjegovic
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Laaser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000415:Albania / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012067:Religion; D012307:Risk Factors