Physical violence and its associated factors among married women in Multan, Southern Punjab, Pakistan

Document Type

Article

Department

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Physical violence is considered as a routine matter and is a neglected issue in the heavily populated society of Pakistan. The study aimed to estimate the physical violence and its associated factors among married women living in the district Multan, a city of Southern Punjab, Pakistan.
Methods: A Cross-Sectional study was conducted among 375 married women living in the community of six towns of Multan. The data was collected from March 2013 to May 2013, through a questionnaire, based on the World Health Organization Multi-country Study on Women's Health and Life Experiences of Violence against Women. A univariate and multivariate analyses were recorded.
Results: Out of 375 women surveyed, 62.93% reported physical violence. In the univariate analysis, women's age (28-60 years), women's occupation (non-professional,) and family categories, (combined/extended) were found to be significant, at 95% confidence interval (CI). In multivariate analysis, women's employment status, as non-earning (OR; 0.57CI:0.33, 0.98) was significant in last year, and in life time multivariate analysis, husband's nonprofessional status (OR; 1.06; CI: 0.635 1, 0.793) and women's non-earning status (OR; 0.57; CI: 0.33, 0.98) became significant. The combined family system (OR; 1.795, CI: 1.120, 2.878) was found to be significant in multivariate analyses.
Conclusion: Physical violence of different forms is considered as a social and cultural norm by intimate partner. There is a pressing need for appropriate mechanisms particularly in primary health care, to identify and deal with physical violence

Publication (Name of Journal)

Pakistan Journal of Public Health

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS