Battering in pregnant Latinas

Evidence suggests that abuse of women may be the most common form of family violence during the perinatal period. This battering is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and has physical, psychological, and social sequelae. Although some ethnic differences have been described in the occurrence of abuse, there is a paucity of research and culturally relevant prevention strategies and interventions to assist minority women. With both quantitative and qualitative methods, this study examined pregnant Latinas in three sites: urban Arizona, rural Arizona, and Mexico, to determine prevalence and type of abuse, level of acculturation, and self-esteem. Women were approached by a bilingual research assistant until 150 from each site agreed to participate. After informed consent was obtained, the questionnaires were administered in English or Spanish and read orally if the participant was unable to read. Focus groups with women recruited from each site by means of a return mail postcard provided qualitative information regarding their perceptions of battering, available resources, and how the Mexican culture influences this phenomenon. The women in the rural Arizona site reported the highest incidence of abuse and the highest levels of acculturation. Women in the focus groups discussed cultural reasons for violence and described helpful measures that could be offered to abused women.