title: [An epidemiological study on domestic violence in Hunan, China].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of domestic violence (DV) in Hunan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a multi-stage sampling strategy, 9451 households involving 32 720 persons in urban, rural and industrial areas in Hunan, China were studied. Multiform clue investigation and face-to-face interviews were combined to investigate the prevalence of DV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A lifetime prevalence of DV was reported by 1533 households (16.2%). A total of 1098 households (11.6%) reported at least one incident of DV in the previous year. Both lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DV varied significantly by geographic setting (P < 0.01). The lifetime prevalence abuse rates were: spousal 10.2%, child abuse 7.8%, and elder 1.5%. With regard to household structure, the lifetime prevalence of DV was highest among those remarried families (21.0%), followed by married couples with one child and extended families with several generations living together (20.1% and 20.0%, respectively). The highest rate of spousal abuse was found among remarried families (14.7%), while child and elder abuse was most prevalent among extended families (12.4% and 4.1%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggested that although the prevalence of DV in Hunan was modest compared to Western countries, it remained a serious public health problem affecting over 1 in 10 households. Furthermore, the prevalence of various types of DV varied by geographic setting and family structure, suggesting that diverse geographic setting and family constellations carried different risk and protective features.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Institute, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Yu-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Ya-lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Sheng-qi
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Guo-yi
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yu-cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ding
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Shi-chang
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Yan-wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Li-jie
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guang-ning
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guo-qiang
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Ji-ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Li-hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jian-wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yu-hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jian-wu
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Xia-sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Guan-jun
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guo-ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jian-guang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005190:Family; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009863:Only Child; D015995:Prevalence; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*