Physical violence against women and its effect on child morbidity

Abstract EN

Objective: To assess the prevalence of physical domestic violence against women in Mosul city and to investigate the relationship between domestic violence and the extent and severity of children illness.

Methods: A cross-sectional population-based study with a face-to-face structured interview was conducted, 800 married women (each of whom should has at least one baby) were interviewed.

Results: The results showed that 22.3% of the women in Mosul city are exposed to physical violence.

Episodes of physical health problems were significantly higher among children of mothers who are abused by their partners than in children of non-abused women.

Those mothers (with violence) are at double risk of having children with more severe and numerous attacks of various morbidities (RR=2.4, CI=2.36 -2.43).

Conclusions: Domestic physical violence against Iraqi women is currently present, and relatively common.

The physical abuse against women inside their homes is positively associated with a significant high risk (frequency and severity) of various diseases affecting their children.