Domestic Violence Prior to and During Pregnancy within a Selected Military Population and its Relationship to Depressive Symptomatology

Abstract

Domestic violence is a social problem of epidemic proportions which adversely effects the health of millions of women each year. Abuse does not cease when a woman becomes pregnant. In fact, violence may begin or escalate during the prenatal period. An extensive review of the literature reveals that the prevalence of abuse during pregnancy ranges from 1.5% to 23%. Despite documentation of the prevalence of abuse during pregnancy in the civilian population, a prevalence study has not been conducted in the military community. A preliminary descriptive study was performed at two military hospital clinics, in order to investigate the prevalence of domestic violence prior to (within the last year) and during pregnancy and its relationship to depressive symptomatology. Research on domestic violence discloses that it is a problem that permeates all ethnic, racial, and religious groups, all socioeconomic and educational levels, and all trades and professions. It is assumed that the military is not immune from domestic violence and that its prevalence is comparable to that in the civilian community. A Women's Pregnancy Well-Being Assessment Survey was distributed to 317 prenatal patients at these facilities between 20 November 1995 and 5 January 1996, until a sample size of 298 participants was obtained. The participants revealed that 3.4% had been abused during the current pregnancy, and that 9.4% had been abused prior to (within the last year) or during the current pregnancy. A significant difference was found between abused and nonabused participants and total scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (t = -5.23, p = .000). Abuse was significantly correlated with depressive symptomatology (r .2931, p = .000).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1996
Accession Number
ADA312421

Entities

People

  • Loretta J. Cepis

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • African Americans
  • Body Weight
  • Depression
  • Domestic Violence
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Health Services
  • Human Behavior
  • Medical Personnel
  • Minority Groups
  • Native Americans
  • Patient Care
  • Pregnancy Complications
  • Psychiatry
  • Sociology
  • Therapy

Readers

  • Mental Health of Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Risk Factors, Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Women's Health and Cancer Risk Research: African American Women and Pregnancy Outcomes.

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3