Citation

Pontecorvo C, Mejia R, Aleman M, Vidal A, Majdalani MP, Fayanas R, Fernandez A, Perez Stable EJ. Medicina (Argentina) 2004; 64(6): 492-496.

Vernacular Title

Violencia domestica contra la mujer. Una encuesta en consultorios de atencion

Affiliation

Programa de Medicina Interna General, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital de Clinicas Jose de San Martin, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Fundacion Revista Medicina (Buenos Aires))

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15637825

Abstract

According to Pan American Health Organization nearly 50% of women suffer chronic domestic violence in Latin America. We evaluated the prevalence of gender based violence (GBV) in women assisted in a University Outpatient Clinic in Buenos Aires. We used a survey originally developed by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in Spanish. The survey was distributed to a consecutive sample of women more than 18 years of age who attended the clinic. Participants were randomized to fill out the questionnaire anonymously (self-administered) or during an interview with the physician in order to test the sensitivity of these two different modalities of data collection. Of 360 eligible women 270, (75%) completed the questionnaire. The respondents had a median age of 45.4 years, only 33% had more than 7 years of formal education and 48% did not live with a partner. Of the 270 respondents, 120 (44%) women reported mistreatment at least once during their lifetime. Of these, 108 (40%) reported psychological GBV, 53 physical GBV and 45 reported sexual GBV. Most of the respondents suffered more than one type of violence. 46 (17%) women reported sexual abuse during childhood, 219 (81%) of participants never had been asked by their physician about domestic violence. Women interviewed by the physician reported GBV more frequently than those completing the self-administered survey (p <0.005). The survey developed by the IPPF is considered a useful tool for screening in a clinical setting.