Abou EL- Naga, A. (2001). Battered Wives in Alexandria: A Community Based Study. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31(2), 289-312. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.235477
Azza F. Abou EL- Naga. "Battered Wives in Alexandria: A Community Based Study". Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31, 2, 2001, 289-312. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.235477
Abou EL- Naga, A. (2001). 'Battered Wives in Alexandria: A Community Based Study', Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 31(2), pp. 289-312. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.235477
Abou EL- Naga, A. Battered Wives in Alexandria: A Community Based Study. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 2001; 31(2): 289-312. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.235477
Battered Wives in Alexandria: A Community Based Study
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt
Abstract
Wife battering is increasingly recognized as a global public health concern. The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence, nature and extent of the problem in Alexandria. The epidemiological features of wives exposed to battering and the most common causes leading to it were studied. The present work also aimed to identify the perception and reaction of those women toward the battering act and to reveal the risk of developing depressive symptoms. To achieve such aim, a cross sectional design was used. Thirty clusters were selected. The results revealed that the overall prevalence of wives' battering was 48.42% among the ever- married women. About one fourth [25.08%] of battering acts were classified as severe. Among women who reported current battering, more than one third [34.74%] have been battered three to five times in the past year, and 18.51% have experienced it six or more times. Many factors were found to predispose to wives' battering. Some of them were related to women as young age, low social class as denoted by illiteracy and low educational level, unemployment, large family size and positive family history of battering. Other factors were related to husbands as low social class indicated by their education and occupation, economic insecurity denoted by unemployment and pension, their habits as cigarette smoking and cannabis, alcohol and drug use, as well as positive family history of battering. The economic pressure vividly arose as the most common reason [48.13%] of the first battering act. Regarding the perception of women toward the battering act, 35.20% of them believed that it is a normal behavior. Slightly more than half [51.25%] reacted by leaving their houses and 46.88% responded by negative reaction. Physical abuse was proved to be a significant predictor of depression among the studied women where significantly higher proportion of battered wives was found to be at moderate severe risk of developing depressive symptoms than non-battered wives.
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