Women's Health Nursing (여성건강간호학회지)

Korean Society of Women Health Nursing (한국여성건강간호학회)
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The status of intimate partner violence against pregnant women in contemporary China: a scoping review

  • Xue Mei Fan (College of Nursing, Seoul National University) ;
  • Hae Won Kim (College of Nursing, The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Center for Human-Caring Nurse Leaders for the Future by Brain Korea 21(BK 21) Four Project, Seoul National University)
  • Received : 2023.12.21
  • Accepted : 2024.03.16
  • Published : 2024.03.31
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Abstract

Purpose: This review explored the status of publications on intimate partner violence (IPV) against pregnant women in contemporary China. Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycInfo databases were searched using the terms "IPV," "pregnant woman," "Chinese," and synonyms in English, along with related keywords for Chinese publications. All literature pertaining to IPV during pregnancy, conducted in China, and published between 1987 and September 2023 was included. Results: A total of 37 articles from 30 studies were selected. The prevalence of IPV during pregnancy ranged from 2.5% to 31.3%, with psychological violence being the most common form. Frequently identified risk factors included unintended pregnancy, poor family economic conditions, male partners engaging in health risk behaviors, poor employment status of women or their partners, low education levels among women, physical or mental health issues, strained couple relationships, and in-law conflicts. IPV during pregnancy primarily led to mental health problems for the victims and could result in adverse obstetric outcomes, as well as negative effects on the temperament and development of the offspring. Victims in China demonstrated a low willingness to seek help from professionals. Furthermore, relevant research in mainland China is scarce, with a limited number of studies and non-standardized research methodologies. Conclusion: Future research should investigate IPV in pregnancy from various perspectives, identify factors unique to IPV during pregnancy, and focus on high-risk groups. Considering the conditions in China, there is a pressing need to increase public awareness of IPV and to investigate interventions aimed at addressing this issue.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the BK21 Four project (Center for Human-Caring Nurses Leaders for the Future) funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE, Korea) and NRF.

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