Centre for International Health Curtin University

1
Centre for International HealthCurtin University
Domestic violence and consequent health disorders
in Indian women
Andreia Schineanu, PhD student Supervisor
Associate Professor Paola Ferroni Associate
Supervisor Dr Jaya Earnest
2
Introduction

• DV is part of a pattern of abusive behaviour and
  control and includes
• repeated physical assault,
• ongoing psychological abuse
• forced sexual intercourse

• Main causes of DV in India are
• perceived male superiority,
• low status of women in society
• poverty
• alcohol abuse
• inadequate dowry
• presence of in-laws and
• absence of male child
• Effects of DV include
• physical injuries
• STDs
• unwanted pregnancies
• mental disorders
• death (homicide or suicide)

3
Rationale

• Very little research data on the relationship
  between DV and mental and emotional health (MEH)
  in Indian women
• Research from western countries has shown
  significant causative relationship between DV and
  common mental illnesses such as depression,
  anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Underlying causes of MEH problems in victims of
  violence are DIFFERENT to the causes of MEH in
  non-abused women.

4
Objectives

• To determine the prevalence and incidence rates
  of DV in an urban population of Indian women
• To investigate the relationship between DV and
  mental and emotional health
• To establish the main socio-cultural factors
  that contribute to DV
• To document coping behaviours and patterns
• To investigate the relationship between MEH and
  coping behaviour

5
Methods

• Non-experimental, cross-sectional, retrospective
• Sample size of 907 women
• Participants selected randomly from a Mumbai
  slum
• Selected only currently married women
• Questionnaire gathered data on demographic
  characteristics, health, social network,
  stressors and coping mechanisms, levels of
  autonomy, marital harmony
• Use of psychometric test to establish levels of
  depression (GHQ 12)
• Analysis of quantitative data was facilitated
  using SPSS

6
Results - demographics

• Mean age was 30.26.3 years, (35.77.4 for men)
• 53.2 Hindu, 42.2 Buddhist, 4.6 other
• 1 in 10 illiterate, 32.2 had primary and 45.2
  high school
• Mean age at marriage 19.92.8 and married for
  10.56.6 years
• Fertility rate was 2.21.1 children per woman
• 43.7 used contraceptive, majority had tubal
  ligation
• 26 reported ill health, 1/3 psychosomatic
  complaints
• 89.4 use western style health care provider
• 61.3 had no paid work (children care, husband
  did not allow)
• 30.1 are members of mahila mandal (womens
  group)
• 90.6 receive support from mahila mandal
• 47.4 of respondents were depressed

7
Results
Experiences of domestic violence
26.4
20.8
18.4
14.6
8
Results

• Factors that contribute to incidences of DV
• Lack of education for both men and women
• Women who are illiterate are over 3 times more
  likely to experience psychological and physical
  violence than those who have college education.
• Women whose husbands are illiterate are twice as
  likely to experience physical violence than those
  whose husbands attended high school and 4 times
  as likely than those whose husbands attended
  college
• Lack of social support
• Women who are not members of a support group are
  2.4 times more likely to be abused than women who
  are members.

9
Results

• Factors that contribute to experiences of DV
• Autonomy
• A woman who is solely responsible for decisions
  regarding her health is 4 times more likely to
  experience domestic violence than a woman who
  makes decisions regarding her health jointly with
  her husband
• Women who work are 1.4 times more likely to be
  abused than women who dont work.

10
Results
Relationship between DV and depression
11
Limitations

• Cross sectional study
• Under-reporting of DV
• Research confined to a limited geographical
  location

12
Acknowledgements

• Many thanks to the following people
• All the women who participated in the study
• Goretti, Rohini, Supriya, Prajakta, Karuna and
  Meenal from KJ Somaiya Hospital, Mumbai, India
• Paola, Jaya, Ali and Leanne from CIH
• Fredrik, Alex, Nicholas and Emilia, my family
• This project was partly funded by the Mary
  Walters Bursary, AFUW, WA Inc.