Experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study of women in Japan

Abstract Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is physical, sexual or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner. IPV threatens women’s health, and during pregnancy women are more vulnerable to violence. Therefore, IPV screening has been recommended during antenatal care; ho...

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Main Authors: Yaeko Kataoka, Mikiko Imazeki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018-05-01
Series:BMC Women's Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12905-018-0566-4
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author Yaeko Kataoka
Mikiko Imazeki
author_facet Yaeko Kataoka
Mikiko Imazeki
author_sort Yaeko Kataoka
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is physical, sexual or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner. IPV threatens women’s health, and during pregnancy women are more vulnerable to violence. Therefore, IPV screening has been recommended during antenatal care; however, health care providers have expressed concern about the negative impact on women and therefore have been reluctant in conducting IPV screening. Consequently our objective was to investigate pregnant women’s experiences of reading and completing an IPV screening questionnaire. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with postpartum women who had received IPV screening during pregnancy to investigate their experiences using the IVP Violence Against Women Screen (VAWS). Qualitative data were analyzed based on content analysis. Results A total of 43 women participated in this study. There were eight (18.6%) women positive for IPV screening during pregnancy. Content analysis for all participants revealed three themes: necessity, acceptability and optimality. ‘Necessity’ referred to benefits for women from IPV screening, and was supported by three categories: ‘redefining the relationship’, ‘promoting IPV awareness’ and ‘opportunity to initiate support’. ‘Acceptability’ of IPV screening was also supported by three categories: ‘comfortable’, ‘quickly completed’ and ‘difficulty’. ‘Optimality’ meant IPV screening during pregnancy was appropriate timing for women who had been screened as either positive or negative. Conclusions The majority of women, including women experiencing IPV, had positive responses to IPV screening during pregnancy. Future diffusion of IPV screening requires safe environments for IPV screening and improved awareness of health care providers towards IPV.
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spelling doaj.art-8a1734d6843c48b0bdbeb1035db2511c2022-12-21T19:37:32ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742018-05-011811910.1186/s12905-018-0566-4Experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study of women in JapanYaeko Kataoka0Mikiko Imazeki1St. Luke’s International UniversitySt. Luke’s International HospitalAbstract Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is physical, sexual or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner. IPV threatens women’s health, and during pregnancy women are more vulnerable to violence. Therefore, IPV screening has been recommended during antenatal care; however, health care providers have expressed concern about the negative impact on women and therefore have been reluctant in conducting IPV screening. Consequently our objective was to investigate pregnant women’s experiences of reading and completing an IPV screening questionnaire. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with postpartum women who had received IPV screening during pregnancy to investigate their experiences using the IVP Violence Against Women Screen (VAWS). Qualitative data were analyzed based on content analysis. Results A total of 43 women participated in this study. There were eight (18.6%) women positive for IPV screening during pregnancy. Content analysis for all participants revealed three themes: necessity, acceptability and optimality. ‘Necessity’ referred to benefits for women from IPV screening, and was supported by three categories: ‘redefining the relationship’, ‘promoting IPV awareness’ and ‘opportunity to initiate support’. ‘Acceptability’ of IPV screening was also supported by three categories: ‘comfortable’, ‘quickly completed’ and ‘difficulty’. ‘Optimality’ meant IPV screening during pregnancy was appropriate timing for women who had been screened as either positive or negative. Conclusions The majority of women, including women experiencing IPV, had positive responses to IPV screening during pregnancy. Future diffusion of IPV screening requires safe environments for IPV screening and improved awareness of health care providers towards IPV.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12905-018-0566-4Intimate partner violencePregnancyScreening experienceQualitative study
spellingShingle Yaeko Kataoka
Mikiko Imazeki
Experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study of women in Japan
BMC Women's Health
Intimate partner violence
Pregnancy
Screening experience
Qualitative study
title Experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study of women in Japan
title_full Experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study of women in Japan
title_fullStr Experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study of women in Japan
title_full_unstemmed Experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study of women in Japan
title_short Experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study of women in Japan
title_sort experiences of being screened for intimate partner violence during pregnancy a qualitative study of women in japan
topic Intimate partner violence
Pregnancy
Screening experience
Qualitative study
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12905-018-0566-4
work_keys_str_mv AT yaekokataoka experiencesofbeingscreenedforintimatepartnerviolenceduringpregnancyaqualitativestudyofwomeninjapan
AT mikikoimazeki experiencesofbeingscreenedforintimatepartnerviolenceduringpregnancyaqualitativestudyofwomeninjapan