Burden of Exposure to Domestic Violence on Deliveries Assisted by Skilled Health Personnel among Women Living in Disparity: Global Perspective

Amany Refaat, Walden University

Millennium Development Goal 5 aims to reduce maternal mortality through increasing proportion of women having deliveries assisted by skilled health personnel. This study examines the extra burden of exposure to domestic violence among 18,507 women over 20 years of age and living in disparity from domestic violence modules DHS data of six different countries, on these proportions. Joint exposure of domestic violence and disparity was among 29% of the women who were less (61% VS 73%) to have assisted delivery (OR 2.3; 95%CI: 2.1-2.4) with highest burden in low income countries (27%, OR: 16.2; 95%CI: 13.9-18.7) then with sever violence (55%, OR 2.4; 95%CI: 2.1-2.7). Independent burden of domestic violence (OR 1.4; 95%CI 1.3-1.5) was not biased by the stronger influence of disparity or living in low income country. Protecting women from domestic violence should be integrated in programs working for increasing proportions of assisted deliveries by skilled health personnel