Original Article EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: AN EVIDENCE FROM PAKISTAN DEMOGRAPHIC HEALTH SURVEY

Abstract

Background:
This study aimed to determine the effects of domestic violence on women's reproductive health based on demographic variables as contributing factors.

Material and Methods:
Secondary data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012-2013 were analyzed collected from 3687 ever-married females between the ages 15-49 years, who were selected and interviewed about the experiences of domestic violence. The researchers used the IBM SPSS 20 for data analysis in the present study. Binary logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the odds and adjusted odds ratios.

Results:
This study identifies that 38% of women have experienced some form of domestic violence (31% emotional violence, 28% less severe violence, and 7% severe physical violence), 38% of women have used contraceptive methods (28% modern, 9% traditional, or .1% folkloric), 11% women have not agreed at all, to be pregnant out of 398 pregnant women, and 36% women have terminated their
pregnancy ever. Place of residence (rural and urban) had the highest odds ratio of emotional violence (adj. OR 1.64, CI at 95%, 1.3-2.0, p<.001). The highest adj. odds of contraceptive use were 2.2 (95% CI, 1.75-2.75, p<.001) for respondents’ education compared to non-educated. The adj. odds ratio of unintended pregnancy was 2.3 (95% CI 1.6-3.42, p<.001) times increased on increase in each child in the house and for pregnancy termination was 1.87 (95% CI 1.5-2.3, p<.001) times for the respondents with age more than 30 years as compared to lower age. The adj. odds ratio of “contraceptive use” was 1.28 (95%CI 1.1-1.49, p<.001) times for those respondents who experienced emotional violence as compared to the respondents who had no such experience, whereas 1.27 (95%CI 1.1-1.47, p<.001) times for those who had experienced overall domestic violence. By controlling social equity, the adj. odds ratio of unintended pregnancy was 2.05(95%CI, 1.04-4.05, p<.05) times for respondents who had experienced overall domestic violence compared to respondents who had not experienced it.