Sexual violence and its association with health self-perception among pregnant women.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of sexual violence history among pregnant women and its association with the self-perception of health status.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study including a total of 179 pregnant women older than 14 years old at gestation week 14 to 28 attending public health services in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, between 2006 and 2007. Data collection instruments included: questionnaire on sexual violence; questionnaire on sociodemographic data; and an assessment of health-related quality of life using the Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12(R)). Age, skin color, education, occupational and marital status, and self-perception of physical and mental health were compared between women with and without a lifetime history of sexual violence. Sexual violence was categorized as penetrative and non-penetrative sex.


RESULTS
Among all women interviewed, the prevalence of sexual violence was 39.1%, of which 20% were of penetrative type by known perpetrators. In 57% of cases, the first episode of violence was before the age of 14. There were no sociodemographic differences between women with and without history of sexual violence. Mean scores of self-perception of physical health among women with history of sexual violence were lower (42.2; SD= 8.3) compared to those without history of sexual violence (51.0; SD= 7.5) (p<0.001). Mean scores of self-perception of mental health were 37.4 (SD= 11.2) and 48.1 (SD= 10.2) (p<0.001), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
There was found high prevalence of sexual violence among pregnant women studied. Women with history of sexual violence showed poorer self-perception of health status compared to those without history of sexual violence.
Aquino
Nicole Moraes Rêgo de
NM
Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. nicoledeaquino@uol.com.br
Sun
Sue Yazaki
SY
Oliveira
Eleonora Menicucci de
EM
Martins
Marilia da Gloria
Mda G
Silva
Juliana de Fátima da
Jde F
Mattar
Rosiane
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D012649:Self Concept; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult