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Screening for intimate partner violence during pregnancy: a test accuracy study
Antonella Ludmila Zapata-Calvente1, Jesús L Megías2, Casilda Velasco3
1Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
European Journal of Public Health
|February 8, 2022
Summary
The Women Abuse Screening Tool-Short (WAST-Short) effectively screens for intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy. This screening tool showed better accuracy than the Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) for detecting IPV in antenatal care settings.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue disproportionately affecting pregnant women.
- Routine antenatal care presents an opportunity to screen for IPV, a common obstetric complication.
- Accurate screening tools are crucial for identifying and addressing IPV during pregnancy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy of the Women Abuse Screening Tool-Short (WAST-Short) and the Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) for detecting IPV.
- To compare the performance of WAST-Short and AAS in identifying IPV during and before pregnancy.
- To determine the utility of these screening tools within antenatal care settings.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted in 21 public primary health antenatal centers in Andalusia, Spain.
- Trained midwives administered the WAST-Short and AAS to consecutive eligible mothers during their first and third trimesters.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) IPV questionnaire served as the reference standard for comparison.
Main Results:
- IPV prevalence was 9.5% during pregnancy and 19.4% before pregnancy.
- In the third trimester, WAST-Short demonstrated superior accuracy (AUC 0.73) compared to AAS (AUC 0.57) for detecting IPV during pregnancy.
- No significant difference in accuracy was found between WAST-Short and AAS for detecting IPV before pregnancy in the first trimester.
Conclusions:
- The WAST-Short is a potentially valuable tool for screening intimate partner violence in pregnant women during antenatal visits.
- Effective screening for IPV during pregnancy can facilitate timely interventions and support for affected women.
- Further research may explore the integration of validated IPV screening tools into routine obstetric care.
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