Intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a pilot intervention program in Lima, Peru.
This pilot study examined the effectiveness of standard care and an empowerment intervention for abused pregnant women. Severe psychological abuse was most prevalent (42.2%) among this sample of women. Compared with women in the standard care group at the postintervention survey, women in the empowerment group were more likely to hide money (44.6% vs. 34.3%), establish a code with family or friends (19.6% vs. 16.2%), ask neighbors to call police if violence began (6.9% vs. 1.0%), had available bank account numbers (17.1% vs. 3.1%), had valuable jewelry (8.4% vs. 3.8%), and had available a hidden bag with extra clothing (9.0% vs. 3.1%). However, there was no statistically significant difference in health-related quality of life, adoption of safety behaviors, and use of community resources between women in the two groups. Simply asking pregnant women about abuse and offering referral could potentially interrupt and prevent further abuse.
Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7236, USA. smtang@u.washington.edu
Swee May
SM
Cripe
Sixto E
SE
Sanchez
Elena
E
Sanchez
Beatriz
B
Ayala Quintanilla
Christian
C
Hernández Alarcon
Bizu
B
Gelaye
Michelle A
MA
Williams
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010568:Peru; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult