The health impact of domestic violence for well-being: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Background: The consequences of domestic violence are intense and it has pessimistic effects on health and happiness of individuals as well as on the well-being of entire communities. Aim and Objectives: The objectives are as follows (i) to study the health impact of domestic violence on abused women and their children and (ii) to find out health-seeking behavior of abused women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional community base study was carried out among randomly selected 600 ever married women of 15–49 years of age. All the necessary information was collected by pretested questionnaire. The questionnaire was self-administered and the confidentiality measures were taken appropriately and strictly. Results: Out of total 600 participants, 231 participants were victims of domestic violence. An evaluation revealed that about 9% of the victims reported to be suffering from chronic pain, about 47% of the victims were underweight, 36% reported to be suffering from depression, and about 22% had reported pregnancy complications. Domestic violence also has its consequences on the health status of children. Only about 29% of the victims approached the health care center to tackle the health problem due to violence. Conclusion: The violence affects the physical, mental, and sexual health of the sufferer and also has consequences on children’s well-being.