title: Determinants of witnessed parental physical violence among university students in transitional Albania.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to assess the extent and the socioeconomic correlates of witnessed parental physical violence among university students in Albania, a country in transition from rigidly structured socialism to a market-oriented system.
  
  
  METHODS
  2797 students (93% of all students) at the Medical Faculty, Tirana, filled out an anonymous structured questionnaire in April-June 2009. Information on witnessed father-to-mother physical violence during childhood and/or adolescence and sociodemographic and socioeconomic data were collected. The association of witnessed parental violence with socioeconomic factors was assessed with multivariable-adjusted logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  736 (26.7%) of students witnessed father-to-mother physical violence, and 36 (1.3%) reported 'very often' witnessing episodes. In multivariable-adjusted models, independent predictors of witnessed violence were: low family income [odds ratio (OR) = 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.7-3.2], rural origin (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.5-2.5), father's lower education and unemployment (OR = 5.4, 95% CI = 4.1-7.1 and OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.9-3.2, respectively) and mother's educational and employment advantage compared with the spouse (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.9-3.8 and OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.6-2.8, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Father's socioeconomic disadvantage and mother's socioeconomic empowerment were each independently related to increased risk for witnessed father-to-mother physical violence among university students in this transitional patriarchal society. Health professionals in post-communist Albania should be aware of the ways in which witnessed domestic violence influences physical and psychological health of young adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of International Health, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Genc.Burazeri@INTHEALTH.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: Genc
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burazeri
authors.forename: Gentiana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Qirjako
authors.forename: Enver
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roshi
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000415:Albania; D030861:Capitalism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011057:Politics; D012950:Socialism; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult