Prevalence and risk factors of obstetric violence in the Gaza strip: a retrospective study from a conflict setting
File(s)Obstetric violence revised article R2 Alaa[93].docx (70.14 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Ismail, Alaa M
Ismail, Anas
Hirst, Jane Elizabeth
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of obstetric violence (OV) among laboring women in the past 5 years in the Gaza Strip (GS). METHODS: Women who delivered between January 2017 and December 2021 were invited to complete an anonymous online survey between November 2021 and February 2022 to explore their experiences of labor. RESULTS: Seven hundred twenty-two women completed the online questionnaire. Two-thirds (484; 67.2%) were in their 20s, and half (362; 50.1%) were from low socioeconomic households. A vast majority (508; 70.4%) delivered in a government hospital. Four out of ten (300; 41.6%) reported experiencing at least one form of OV. Among these women, the types of OV reported were physical (143; 47.8%), psychological (122; 40.8%), verbal (109; 36.4%), and sexual (13; 4.4%). Delivery in private facilities (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32-0.74) and prior knowledge of the care provider (AOR 0.37, 95% CI 0.23-0.59) were both independently protective for OV. In contrast, women's awareness of OV increased their likelihood of reporting it (AOR 3.45, 95% CI 2.37-5.01). CONCLUSION: GS has an alarming prevalence of reported OV. Increasing awareness of OV, identifying its causes, and developing locally led initiatives to eliminate it are urgently needed.
Date Issued
2023-11
Date Acceptance
2023-05-22
Citation
International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 2023, 163 (2), pp.383-391
ISSN
0020-6695
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
383
End Page
391
Journal / Book Title
International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Volume
163
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2023 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Ismail, AM, Ismail, A, Hirst, JE. Prevalence and risk factors of obstetric violence in the Gaza strip: A retrospective study from a conflict setting. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2023; 00: 1-9, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.14911. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37350406
Subjects
conflict settings
delivery
Gaza
maltreatment and disrespect
obstetric violence
Palestine
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2023-06-23