Abstract

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) can be considered a leading public health problem affecting approximately 50% of women during the course of their lifetimes. This study was carried out with the aim of re-testing the prevalence data and providing sufficient grounds for decision-makers in family medicine in Slovenia to adopt much-needed protocols for IPV management in the field.MethodsIn January 2012, every tenth general practitioner (GP) registered in Slovenia, of a total of 958, was invited to participate in a multi-centre cross-sectional study, and 9.4% of them, working in 90 family practices, agreed to participate. From February 1 to March 1, 2012, they asked every fifth family practice attendee aged 18 years and above, regardless of gender, to participate in the study. The short version of Domestic Violence Exposure Questionnaire was administered to 2572 patients.ResultsIn the sample, there were more women (62.9% (n = 1617)). The average age of all the participants was 49.0 ± 16.1 years. Of 2572 participants (95.3% response rate), 17.1% people had been exposed to either emotional or both physical and emotional abuse. The prevalence of psychological violence was 10.3%, and that of concurrent physical and psychological abuse 6.8%, with all the patients exposed to physical IPV disclosing concurrent psychological violence. Female gender and previous formal divorce were risk factors identified in all three multivariate logistic regression models. The odds of concurrent physical and psychological and either type of IPV exposure in patients were lessened by an age of 65 years or above. The odds for either type of IPV were also lower in single people, while in concurrent physical and psychological IPV exposure, living in urban settings acted as a protective factor.ConclusionsIn Slovenian family practice attendees, an IPV exposure prevalence of approximately 17% should be considered a valid estimation.

Highlights

  • Intimate partner violence (IPV) can be considered a leading public health problem affecting approximately 50% of women during the course of their lifetimes

  • Every tenth general practitioner (GP) listed in the Register of Family Medicine Doctors held at the Medical Chamber of Slovenia was invited to participate in a multi-centre study

  • All the patients exposed to physical IPV disclosed concurrent psychological violence

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Summary

Introduction

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can be considered a leading public health problem affecting approximately 50% of women during the course of their lifetimes. Any behaviour which causes physical, psychological or sexual harm by a man or woman’s partner or ex-partner, within an intimate relationship, is usually described as intimate partner violence (IPV) This common problem is a pattern of coercive behaviours that may include repeated beating and injury, psychological abuse with coercive control, sexual assault, progressive social isolation, Estimates of the prevalence of experiences of physical or sexual partner violence in women across their lifetimes range from 15%–71%, with past year estimates ranging between 4% and 54%. This shows women are at a far greater risk of physical or sexual violence from a partner than from anyone else [3]. Aside from its serious health consequences for women and children, a significant impact of IPV on society, including high financial costs, has been shown [10,11]

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