2023-12-11 18:31:28
People who have been abused are more likely to suffer physical and mental health effects than previously thought. This is a global review and meta-analysis published in ‘Nature Medicine’ which reveals that there are high risks between intimate partner violence or child sexual abuse and some health problems, including major depressive disorder, miscarriage, alcohol abuse, and self-harm among children.
Globally, one in three women have ever experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime, and around 20% of young women and 10% of young men have experienced some form of childhood sexual abuse. However, research investigating health outcomes associated with intimate partner violence and childhood sexual abuse has been scarce.
According to the research, exposure to intimate partner violence is associated with an increased risk of major depressive disorders (63%) and an increased risk of maternal abortion and spontaneous abortion (35%).
Regarding child sexual abuse, the study shows that it is related to a higher risk of alcohol consumption and self-harm (45% and 35%, respectively).
The figures, they claim, are larger in magnitude and more extensive than previously suggested.
“This study advances the understanding of the profound health impacts of intimate partner violence against women and child sexual abuse,” says Joht Singh Chandan, of the University of Birmingham and lead co-author of the article.
Our findings, he adds, “reveal not only the alarming associations that these forms of violence have with diseases such as depression, miscarriage and alcohol use disorders and self-harm, but also highlight the urgent need to adopt preventive measures and systems of protection.” solid support.
More than 4,000 studies
The researchers identified the available literature on intimate partner violence and child sexual abuse and their associated health effects. They reviewed more than 4,000 studies, of which 229 met the inclusion criteria.
The report not only shows these critical health problems, says researcher Emmanuela Gakidou, from the Institute for Health Evaluation and Metrics of the University of Washington and co-lead author of the article, but also “reveals the gaps in current knowledge and the need for continued research to understand the broad consequences of such violence.”
In his opinion, it is “imperative to use this knowledge to design policies, medical care and community interventions, guaranteeing a safer and healthier future for people affected by these widespread forms of violence.”
Research marks a fundamental shift in the way we perceive the social and health burdens of intimate partner violence
Nicholas Metheny
University of Miami
For Nicholas Metheny, of the University of Miami“the research marks a fundamental shift in the way we perceive the social and health burdens of intimate partner violence.”
“This new perspective is crucial to elevating gender violence as a public health imperative in the global sphere, and will hopefully generate both political and scientific momentum towards effective prevention and intervention strategies,” concludes Metheny.
The study has also identified other possible health effects: maternal hypertensive disorders with intimate partner violence and an association of smoking with childhood sexual abuse. However, the research concludes that due to the paucity of evidence, these could not be included in the meta-analysis.
The authors point out that the studies They are observational and cannot demonstrate causality and highlight that their findings are limited due to the small number of studies that explore these relationships.. They suggest their research demonstrates the broad health effects of intimate partner violence and child sexual abuse, but emphasize the need for more research to strengthen the evidence base.
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