[Intimate partner violence. A survey conducted in the primary care setting]. / La violencia contra la mujer en la pareja. Un estudio en el ámbito de la atención primaria.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in a sample of women attending primary care centers for any reason and to analyze the characteristics of this violence. METHODS: A cross sectional study was performed in 23 primary care centers in three regions of Spain (Andalusia, Madrid and Valencia). The sample included 1,402 randomly selected adult women aged between 18 and 65 years attending these centers. Among the variables collected through a self-administered questionnaire were the existence of physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and its timing, duration, and frequency. RESULTS: Overall, 32% had experienced some type of IPV. By type, 7% had experienced both physical and emotional IPV, 14% had experienced emotional IPV, 3% had experienced emotional and sexual IPV, and 6% had suffered all 3 types of IPV. Among the latter, 52% had experienced abuse for more than 5 years. Women who experienced abuse in a previous relationship had a greater probability of being abused by a new intimate partner (OR = 3.30; 95% CI, 2.10-5.18). CONCLUSIONS: These results show the scale of IPV in Spain. Health professionals play an important role in IPV, as they are in a privileged position to tackle this serious public health problem.

La violencia contra la mujer en la pareja. Un estudio en el ámbito de la atención primaria / Intimate partner violence. A survey conducted in the primary care setting

Objetivos: Determinar la prevalencia de violencia contra la mujer en la pareja en una muestra de mujeres asistentes por cualquier motivo a centros de atención primaria, y analizar las características de esta violencia. Métodos: Estudio transversal en 23 consultas de atención primaria de Andalucía, Madrid y Valencia. La muestra incluye 1.402 mujeres entre 18 y 65 años de edad elegidas aleatoriamente en estas consultas. Entre las variables recogidas mediante cuestionario autoadministrado se incluyeron la existencia de maltrato fisico, emocional o sexual, su temporalidad, su frecuencia y su duración. Resultados: El 32% del total de mujeres en la muestra tuvo algún tipo de maltrato a lo largo de su vida. El 7% presentó en algún momento de su vida maltrato físico y emocional a la vez, el 14% maltrato emocional, el 3% maltrato emocional y sexual conjuntamente y el 6% los 3 tipos de maltrato. El 52% de las mujeres que refirieron los 3 tipos de maltrato lo habían sufrido durante más de 5 años. Hay una mayor probabilidad de padecer maltrato en la actualidad habiéndolo sufrido con una pareja anterior en el pasado (odds ratio = 3,30; intervalo de confianza del 95%, 2,10-5,18). Conclusiones: Estos resultados ponen de manifiesto la magnitud de la violencia contra la mujer en la pareja en nuestro ámbito. Los profesionales de la salud se encuentran en una situación privilegiada para abordar este grave problema de salud pública

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in a sample of women attending primary care centers for any reason and to analyze the characteristics of this violence. Methods: A cross sectional study was performed in 23 primary care centers in three regions of Spain (Andalusia, Madrid and Valencia). The sample included 1,402 randomly selected adult women aged between 18 and 65 years attending these centers. Among the variables collected through a self-administered questionnaire were the existence of physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and its timing, duration, and frequency. Results: Overall, 32% had experienced some type of IPV. By type, 7% had experienced both physical and emotional IPV, 14% had experienced emotional IPV, 3% had experienced emotional and sexual IPV, and 6% had suffered all 3 types of IPV. Among the latter, 52% had experienced abuse for more than 5 years. Women who experienced abuse in a previous relationship had a greater probability of being abused by a new intimate partner (OR = 3.30; 95% CI, 2.10-5.18). Conclusions: These results show the scale of IPV in Spain. Health professionals play an important role in IPV, as they are in a privileged position to tackle this serious public health problem