Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2025
A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
Intimate partner violence and postpartum healthcare access in Kenya: a cross-sectional study
Rebecca Woofter1, John Mboya2, Ginger Golub2
1Fielding School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, 650 Charles E. Young Dr. S, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. rwoofter@ucla.edu.
Background:
Intimate partner violence (IPV) impacts physical health, mental health, and healthcare use. IPV during pregnancy, in particular, is associated with lower rates of antenatal care, but no studies have assessed the association between IPV and postpartum healthcare. This study aims to examine the link between IPV (emotional, physical, and sexual) and two outcomes: postpartum healthcare use and access to family planning.
Methods:
This study uses data from a cross-sectional survey of 859 women in Nairobi and Kiambu counties in Kenya who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Results:
In this sample, 36% of women reported ever experiencing IPV. Of those, 33% indicated the frequency of IPV stayed the same or increased during COVID-19. Nearly 17% of women avoided postpartum healthcare and 10% experienced issues accessing family planning. Those who experienced any form of IPV during pregnancy had approximately twice the odds of avoiding postpartum healthcare compared to those who did not experience any form of IPV. Compared to those who did not experience IPV during pregnancy, experiencing sexual IPV was associated with 2.25 times higher odds of reporting issues accessing family planning. Additionally, reporting fair or poor self-rated health was associated with both avoiding postpartum healthcare and reporting issues accessing family planning. Experiencing food insecurity was also associated with avoiding postpartum healthcare.
Conclusions:
To our knowledge, this is the first study to establish the link between IPV during pregnancy and postpartum healthcare access. During COVID-19 in Kenya, postpartum women who had experienced IPV were at increased risk of disengagement with healthcare services. Women should be screened for IPV during pregnancy and postpartum in order to better support their healthcare needs. In times of crisis, such as pandemics, policymakers and healthcare providers must address barriers to healthcare for postpartum women.
More Related Videos
05:04A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
Published on: September 22, 2023
09:49Assessment of Perigenital Sensitivity and Prostatic Mast Cell Activation in a Mouse Model of Neonatal Maternal Separation
Published on: August 13, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
00:55Parental Care
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...
02:12Relationship Formation
01:26Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic
HAIs significantly increase the cost of health care. Extended stays in healthcare institutions, increased disability, increased costs of medications, including specialized antibiotics, and prolonged recovery times add to the patient's expenses and the healthcare institution and funding bodies.