Interventions that address interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents globally: a systematic review of reviews
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Globally, adolescents experience a significant burden of interpersonal violence, impacting their health, well-being and life trajectory. To address this, decision-makers need reliable evidence on effective interventions across various contexts.
Objectives Synthesise the evidence for interventions addressing interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents aged 10–25 years.
Methods Six electronic databases were systematically searched. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses published globally between 2010 and 2022 were included if they reported interventions addressing interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents. Results were synthesised narratively.
Results 35 systematic reviews were included, of which 16 were also meta-analyses. Majority of reviews included interventions set in high income countries (71%) and implemented in educational settings (91%). Effectiveness was reported in majority of interventions measuring victimisation and/or perpetration of intimate partner violence, sexual violence, bullying and/or cyberbullying (90%), majority of interventions measuring improvements in knowledge and attitudes towards violence (94%) and all interventions measuring bystander behaviour and improvements in well-being and quality of life. However, the quality of included reviews as per Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 and National Health and Medical Research Council was low, and equity as per PROGRESS-PLUS was seldom considered. There was also a paucity of interventions addressing interpersonal violence in low-middle income countries (12%) and none of the included interventions specifically addressed interpersonal violence perpetrated in the home such as family violence.
Conclusion There is some evidence of promising interventions to address interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents, however there are gaps in scope and implementation. There is a need for equity-oriented public health approaches to comprehensively address the disproportionate burden of interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents globally, including those at the highest risk of harm.
Objectives Synthesise the evidence for interventions addressing interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents aged 10–25 years.
Methods Six electronic databases were systematically searched. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses published globally between 2010 and 2022 were included if they reported interventions addressing interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents. Results were synthesised narratively.
Results 35 systematic reviews were included, of which 16 were also meta-analyses. Majority of reviews included interventions set in high income countries (71%) and implemented in educational settings (91%). Effectiveness was reported in majority of interventions measuring victimisation and/or perpetration of intimate partner violence, sexual violence, bullying and/or cyberbullying (90%), majority of interventions measuring improvements in knowledge and attitudes towards violence (94%) and all interventions measuring bystander behaviour and improvements in well-being and quality of life. However, the quality of included reviews as per Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 and National Health and Medical Research Council was low, and equity as per PROGRESS-PLUS was seldom considered. There was also a paucity of interventions addressing interpersonal violence in low-middle income countries (12%) and none of the included interventions specifically addressed interpersonal violence perpetrated in the home such as family violence.
Conclusion There is some evidence of promising interventions to address interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents, however there are gaps in scope and implementation. There is a need for equity-oriented public health approaches to comprehensively address the disproportionate burden of interpersonal violence experienced by adolescents globally, including those at the highest risk of harm.
Date Issued
2024-10-01
Date Acceptance
2024-06-02
Citation
Injury Prevention, 2024, 30 (5), pp.363-372
ISSN
1353-8047
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
Start Page
363
End Page
372
Journal / Book Title
Injury Prevention
Volume
30
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38991717
PII: ip-2023-045090
Subjects
Adolescent
BULLYING INTERVENTIONS
Burden Of Disease
COSTS
HEALTH
INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES
Mortality
Multiple Injury
PREVENTION PROGRAMS
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Science & Technology
SEXUAL VIOLENCE
VICTIMIZATION
Violence
YOUNG-PEOPLE
YOUTH VIOLENCE
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Date Publish Online
2024-07-11