Pre'Violence Study: Prevalence of Violence Reported by Adult Women Who Sought Care at Municipal Health Centers in Hauts-de-Seine and Seine-Saint-Denis Between December 7, 2020, and January 28, 2021

Introduction - Violence against women has a major impact on health, but remains difficult to assess comprehensively. The Pré'Violence study focuses on women seeking care at municipal health centers (CMS), whose population is more vulnerable and in poorer health than patients at private practices. The objective was to estimate the prevalence of violence in this population, regardless of the type of violence. Materials and Methods - The study took place in 10 CMS in Hauts-de-Seine and Seine-Saint-Denis between December 7, 2020, and January 28, 2021. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was distributed over the course of one week by secretaries to all adult women who came for a consultation, regardless of the reason for the visit or the healthcare professional involved. The questionnaire asked about violence experienced in the past year, detailing the different types, and throughout their lifetime, including all types of violence. Results - Of the 3,457 women who visited the clinic during the study, 375 women (10.8%) responded. The prevalence of violence was 52% over their lifetime and 37% in the past year. Regarding violence in the past year: 73% of women experienced verbal violence; 46%, sexual violence; and 41%, physical violence. Fifty-one percent of women experienced multiple types of violence simultaneously. Only 32% of women had previously discussed this with a healthcare professional, while 58% were in favor of being asked about it. Discussion - This study provides the first estimate of the prevalence of violence among women seeking care at community health centers (CMS) in the Hauts-de-Seine and Seine-Saint-Denis departments. The study’s findings are limited by the use of a self-administered questionnaire, given the lack of a standardized and validated tool for screening for violence. One of the challenges was asking women about violence in a society marked by rape culture and stereotypes. However, the results show that the women involved are in favor of screening and encourage the development of a standardized questionnaire that screens for all types of violence.

Author(s): Lebouc Justine, Bunge Lucie, Courtet François

Publishing year: 2022

Pages: 315-322

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2022, n° 18, p. 315-322

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