Exploring the determinants and outcomes of intimate partner violence during pregnancy for Guyanese women: Results from a nationally representative cross-sectional household survey

Abstract

Objective. To determine predictors associated with physical violence during pregnancy, and to determine the relationship between exposure to intimate partner violence during pregnancy and women’s health and suicide ideation in Guyana. Methods. A secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional household survey. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to the data to estimate the association between physical violence during pregnancy, controlling partner behavior, and other predictors. Ordered logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the association between physical violence during pregnancy and women’s health, and lifetime physical partner violence and overall health. Logistic regression models were fitted to estimate associations between physical violence during pregnancy and lifetime physical partner violence and overall health and suicide ideation. Results. The prevalence of lifetime physical/sexual intimate partner violence was 38.8%, current physical/ sexual intimate partner violence 11.1%, and violence during pregnancy 9.2%. Controlling partner behavior was significantly and positively associated with maternal experience of physical violence during pregnancy. Experiencing physical partner violence during pregnancy, but not lifetime physical partner violence, was associated with significantly increased odds of poor overall health. Physical violence during pregnancy and lifetime physical violence were both significantly associated with increased odds of suicide ideation. Conclusions. The prevalence of violence during pregnancy in Guyana is high and is associated with adverse health outcomes. These findings suggest the need for intimate partner violence prevention, and for integrating intimate partner violence screening and treatment into antenatal care, reproductive health services, and maternal and child health programs and services to identify and treat at-risk women.

Does sexual Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) increase risk of multiple high-risk fertility behaviours in India: evidence from National Family Health Survey 2015–16

“…Sexual violence puts women at risk for a variety of disorders, including mental illness and post-traumatic stress disorder. These have an overall negative impact on women's health [1,3,4]. Furthermore, sexual IPV increases the risk of an unplanned, mistimed, or unintended pregnancy among women, who lack access to family planning methods [5][6][7][8].…”

Indo-Caribbean Youth and Suicidal Behavior: A Systematic Review

“…A 2021 study [ 23 ] conducted in Guyana on the self-reported health outcomes of females aged 15–64 years associates intimate partner violence with higher odds of suicidal ideation (95% CI: 2.48–6.76; p < 0.001), as well as higher odds of poorer reported overall health (95% CI: 1.00–2.24; p < 0.05) in women during pregnancy. This study associates increased likelihood of intimate partner violence with factors such as controlling partner behavior, being unmarried, previous experience of physical violence during childhood, and alcohol abuse by the relationship partner.…”

Neonatal mortality: the need for teaching strategies directed to the protection and promotion of children's health

“…When considering that situations of violence during pregnancy are also risk factors for the life of the newborn, since this situation is associated with adverse health outcomes for the woman-child binomial, it is suggested the need for prevention of intimate partner violence and the integration of screening and treatment of intimate partner violence in prenatal care, reproductive health services and maternal and child health programs and services to identify and treat women at risk (Miller & Contreras-Urbina, 2021).…”