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Scandinavian Journal of Pain Jan 2024We examined associations of a self-reported history of childhood abuse with pain and physical functioning in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) awaiting total knee...
OBJECTIVES
We examined associations of a self-reported history of childhood abuse with pain and physical functioning in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) awaiting total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We also explored the potential moderating effects of positive childhood experiences (PCEs), an index of resilience, on these associations.
METHODS
Prior to TKA, participants with KOA awaiting surgery ( = 239) completed self-report measures of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), PCEs, pain, and physical functioning. We evaluated associations of pain and physical functioning (Brief Pain Inventory [BPI] and Western Ontario and McMaster University of Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC]) based on the experience of ACEs (childhood abuse), with PCEs (childhood happiness and supportive parental care) as potential moderators.
RESULTS
Greater exposure to childhood abuse was positively correlated with BPI pain interference as well as WOMAC pain and functioning scores. Additionally, childhood happiness and supportive parental care moderated the positive associations of childhood abuse with pain and physical functioning; though, surprisingly, the adverse effects of childhood abuse on these outcomes were more pronounced among participants with high levels of childhood happiness and supportive parental care.
CONCLUSION
Overall, results show an association between a self-reported history of childhood abuse and pain and functioning in patients with KOA awaiting TKA. However, PCEs did not protect against the negative consequences of childhood abuse in our cohort. Further research is needed to validate these associations and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between childhood abuse and PCEs and their potential influences on pain experiences in adults with chronic pain conditions, including KOA.
Topics: Humans; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Resilience, Psychological; Aged; Self Report; Adverse Childhood Experiences; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Pain Measurement; Pain; Child Abuse
PubMed: 38842279
DOI: 10.1515/sjpain-2023-0122 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024Childhood exposure to domestic violence and abuse (DVA) can lead to major short- and long-term effects on the victim. Despite this, there is no accepted measure for... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Childhood exposure to domestic violence and abuse (DVA) can lead to major short- and long-term effects on the victim. Despite this, there is no accepted measure for children's experiences, with most existing measures being validated only in high income countries and not in low- and middle- income countries. As a result, international statistics are not comparable. This paper seeks to critically appraise existing measures and discuss whether any are fit-for-purpose on a global scale.
METHOD
The COSMIN PROMs approach was followed to critically appraise and compare the appropriateness of measures. A comprehensive literature search was undertaken in seven journal databases for measures mentioned in formally peer-reviewed articles exploring childhood exposure to DVA.
RESULTS
A literature search resulted in the identification of 10 measures and, following criteria to only keep original measures and remove modifications, four measures which have been validated cross-culturally are discussed in detail in line with the COSMIN PROMs criterion: The Child Exposure to Domestic Violence Scale, Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale, Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire and The Violence Exposure Scale for Children. Strengths and limitations of each are discussed, along with any validations undertaken not in the country of origin.
CONCLUSION
Despite childhood exposure to DVA being an urgent research priority worldwide, the current measures to explore the extent of the issue are not validated cross-culturally, leading to concerns about comparisons across different population groups. The development and implementation of interventions to reduce the levels and effects of exposure relies heavily on cross-cultural comparisons, which may indicate different strategies are needed in different contexts. The lack of these validated comparisons is constraining advances, and the paper advocates for further efforts to be made in this regard.
Topics: Humans; Domestic Violence; Child; Surveys and Questionnaires; Exposure to Violence; Female; Global Health; Male; Child Abuse; Crime Victims; Adolescent
PubMed: 38841674
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1181837 -
BMJ Open Jun 2024This study aimed to qualitatively explore (1) the experiences of female survivors of domestic abuse and mental health problems in Afghanistan; (2) how female survivors...
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to qualitatively explore (1) the experiences of female survivors of domestic abuse and mental health problems in Afghanistan; (2) how female survivors of violence and abuse, male members of the community and service providers perceive and respond to mental health and domestic violence in Afghanistan and (3) the provision of mental health services for female survivors of violence and abuse in Afghanistan, including the barriers and challenges faced around accessing mental health services.
DESIGN
Qualitative interviews and framework thematic analysis.
SETTING
Kabul, Bamyan and Nangarhar in Afghanistan.
PARTICIPANTS
60 female survivors of domestic abuse, 60 male community members and 30 service providers who work with female survivors of domestic abuse.
RESULTS
Experiences of multiple and compounding traumatic experiences of violence, armed conflict, and complex and competing psychosocial concerns were common among the female survivor participants. All female survivor participants reported experiencing negative mental health outcomes in relation to their experiences of violence and abuse, which were further precipitated by widespread social stigma and gender norms. Support and service provision for female survivors was deemed by participants to be insufficient in comparison to the amount of people who need to access them.
CONCLUSIONS
There are many risks and barriers women face to disclosing their experiences of violence and mental health problems which restrict women's access to psychological support. Culturally relevant services and trauma-informed interventions are necessary to respond to these issues. Service providers should be trained to effectively recognise and respond to survivors' mental health needs.
Topics: Humans; Female; Afghanistan; Qualitative Research; Adult; Survivors; Domestic Violence; Male; Social Stigma; Mental Health Services; Interviews as Topic; Young Adult; Middle Aged; Health Services Accessibility
PubMed: 38839389
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079615 -
BMJ Open Quality Jun 2024To examine reported cases of abuse in long-term care (LTC) homes in the province of Ontario, Canada, to determine the extent and nature of abuse experienced by residents...
OBJECTIVE
To examine reported cases of abuse in long-term care (LTC) homes in the province of Ontario, Canada, to determine the extent and nature of abuse experienced by residents between 2019 and 2022.
DESIGN
A qualitative mixed methods study was conducted using document analysis and descriptive statistics. Three data sources were analysed: LTC legislation, inspection reports from a publicly available provincial government administrative database and articles published by major Canadian newspapers. A data extraction tool was developed that included variables such as the date of inspection, the type of inspection, findings and the section of legislation cited. Descriptive analyses, including counts and percentages, were calculated to identify the number of incidents and the type of abuse reported.
RESULTS
According to legislation, LTC homes are required to protect residents from physical, sexual, emotional, verbal or financial abuse. The review of legislation revealed that inspectors are responsible for ensuring homes comply with this requirement. An analysis of their reports identified that 9% (781) of overall inspections included findings of abuse. Physical abuse was the most common type (37%). Differences between the frequency of abuse across type of ownership, location and size of the home were found. There were 385 LTC homes with at least one reported case of abuse, and 55% of these homes had repeated incidents. The analysis of newspaper articles corroborated the findings of abuse in the inspection reports and provided resident and family perspectives.
CONCLUSIONS
There are substantial differences between legislation intended to protect LTC residents from abuse and the abuse occurring in LTC homes. Strategies such as establishing a climate of trust, investing in staff and leadership, providing standardised education and training and implementing a quality and safety framework could improve the care and well-being of LTC residents.
Topics: Humans; Long-Term Care; Nursing Homes; Ontario; Elder Abuse; Qualitative Research; Aged; Female; Male
PubMed: 38834369
DOI: 10.1136/bmjoq-2023-002639 -
The Lancet Regional Health. Southeast... Jul 2024Globally, alcohol consumption is a leading risk factor for deaths and disability and a causal factor in over 200 diseases, injuries, and health conditions. In April...
Effects of a large-scale alcohol ban on population-level alcohol intake, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and domestic violence in India: a quasi-experimental population-based study.
BACKGROUND
Globally, alcohol consumption is a leading risk factor for deaths and disability and a causal factor in over 200 diseases, injuries, and health conditions. In April 2016, the manufacture, transport, sale, and consumption of alcohol was banned in Bihar, a populous Indian state. We sought to estimate the impacts of this ban on health outcomes and domestic violence.
METHODS
Data from the Indian National Family Health Surveys (2005-06, 2015-16, 2019-21), Annual Health Survey (2013), and District Level Household Survey (2012), were used to conduct difference-in-differences (DID) analysis, comparing Bihar (n = 10,733 men, n = 88,188 women) and neighbouring states (n = 38,674 men, n = 284,820 women) before and after the ban. Outcomes included frequent (daily or weekly) alcohol consumption, underweight, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and intimate partner violence. A triple difference model adding male-female interaction to the DID model was also estimated. Attributable averted cases were calculated to estimate the impact of the ban.
FINDINGS
Across all models, the ban led to reduced frequent alcohol consumption (DID: -7.1 percentage points (pp) (95% CI -9.6pp, -4.6pp), lower overweight/obesity (-5.6pp (-8.9, -2.2) among males, and reduced experiences of emotional (-4.8pp (-8.2pp, -1.4pp) and sexual (-5.5pp (-8.7pp, -2.3pp) violence among females. The ban prevented approximately 2.4 million cases of daily/weekly alcohol consumption and 1.8 million cases of overweight/obesity among males, and 2.1 million cases of intimate partner violence among females.
INTERPRETATION
Strict alcohol regulation policies may yield significant population level health benefits for frequent drinkers and many victims of intimate partner violence.
FUNDING
No funding was received for this work.
PubMed: 38827143
DOI: 10.1016/j.lansea.2024.100427 -
F1000Research 2023Children globally, including in Bangladesh, are facing various forms of online sexual abuse including sextortion, exploitation, body shaming, and blackmail. They are...
BACKGROUND
Children globally, including in Bangladesh, are facing various forms of online sexual abuse including sextortion, exploitation, body shaming, and blackmail. They are also coerced into engaging in intimate activities, harassed through the sending of sexual content, among other forms of abuse. We aimed to explore the root cause of online child sexual abuse (OCSA) in Bangladesh.
METHODS
This qualitative research design utilized in-depth interviews (IDIs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) between February and April 2022. The study sample comprised 21 school-going children aged 13-17 years, selected from two different geographical settings (10 from rural areas and 11 from urban areas) in Bangladesh using purposive sampling techniques. They participated in in-depth interviews (IDIs) while additional data was obtained through key informant interviews (KIIs) with 11 multidisciplinary stakeholders.
RESULTS
Children from both rural and urban areas reported facing abuse in various ways, such as being asked to send naked photos, being invited to be naked in video calls, and being invited to have virtual sex, among others, over the internet.
CONCLUSIONS
The government should consider integrating OCSA education into secondary levels. Additionally, there should be efforts to ensure a safe online environment through content scrutiny, promotion of outdoor activities, and community campaigns. An anonymous reporting system must be implemented, and strict measures under the Children's Act must be enforced against perpetrators. Further intervention studies are needed to ensure effective child protection measures in Bangladesh.
Topics: Humans; Bangladesh; Adolescent; Female; Male; Qualitative Research; Child Abuse, Sexual; Internet; Rural Population; Child; Urban Population
PubMed: 38826573
DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.141568.2 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... May 2024Repeated mild head injuries due to sports, or domestic violence and military service are increasingly linked to debilitating symptoms in the long term. Although symptoms...
Repeated mild head injuries due to sports, or domestic violence and military service are increasingly linked to debilitating symptoms in the long term. Although symptoms may take decades to manifest, potentially treatable neurobiological alterations must begin shortly after injury. Better means to diagnose and treat traumatic brain injuries, requires an improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying progression and means through which they can be measured. Here, we employ a repetitive mild closed-head injury (rmTBI) and chronic variable stress (CVS) mouse model to investigate emergent structural and functional brain abnormalities. Brain imaging is achieved with [ F]SynVesT-1 positron emission tomography, with the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A ligand marking synapse density and BOLD (blood-oxygen-level-dependent) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Animals were scanned six weeks after concluding rmTBI/Stress procedures. Injured mice showed widespread in synaptic density coupled with an i in local BOLD-fMRI synchrony detected as regional homogeneity. Injury-affected regions with synapse density showed a in fMRI regional homogeneity. Taken together, these observations may reflect compensatory mechanisms following injury. Multimodal studies are needed to provide deeper insights into these observations.
PubMed: 38826468
DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.24.595651 -
BMC Women's Health Jun 2024Childhood victimization has been associated with long-term psychological effects and an increased risk of being victimized in later life. Previous research has primarily...
BACKGROUND
Childhood victimization has been associated with long-term psychological effects and an increased risk of being victimized in later life. Previous research has primarily focused on sexual abuse during childhood, and a wide range of consequences have been identified. However, a significant gap remains in our understanding of the complex interaction between different forms of childhood abuse and violence in later life, particularly in the context of broader social stressors such as armed conflict and displacement.
METHODS
This study examines the association between exposure to different types of childhood maltreatment in the context of family and intimate partner violence (IPV) among displaced women living in refugee camps in northern Iraq. Structured interviews were conducted by trained female psychologists with 332 women aged between 20 and 62 years.
RESULTS
Results indicated that over one-third of the participating women reported experiencing at least one occurrence of IPV by their husbands within the past year. In addition, participants reported experiences of different types of maltreatment (physical, emotional, and sexual violence and physical and emotional neglect) perpetrated by family members in their childhood. While all forms of childhood maltreatment showed an association with IPV within the past year, only emotional childhood maltreatment was found to be a significant predictor of IPV in a multivariate analysis.
CONCLUSION
The study highlights the ongoing impact of child maltreatment and its contribution to increased vulnerability to IPV victimization in later life. In addition, this study describes the specific cultural and contextual elements that contribute to IPV in refugee camps.
Topics: Humans; Female; Adult; Intimate Partner Violence; Refugees; Middle Aged; Iraq; Crime Victims; Young Adult; Adult Survivors of Child Abuse; Refugee Camps; Child Abuse; Armed Conflicts
PubMed: 38824574
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-024-03156-2 -
BMC Public Health Jun 2024Intimate partner violence is a human rights violation that often involves violence against women, which appears to be the most prevalent type of abuse. Intimate partner...
INTRODUCTION
Intimate partner violence is a human rights violation that often involves violence against women, which appears to be the most prevalent type of abuse. Intimate partner violence is a major global public health issue that includes physical, emotional, and sexual violence. The prevalence of intimate partner violence in Africa is high. The burden of intimate partner violence among reproductive-age women is high in Kenya. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to determine the associated factors of intimate partner violence among reproductive-age women at the individual and community level from the recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2022 data of Kenya.
METHODS
The Kenya National Demographic and Health Survey data of 2022 was used for this study. The overall sample size for this study was 14,612, which focused on women aged 15 to 49 years who had ever been partnered and responded to the domestic violence module. Multilevel logistic regression models to determine the prevalence and associated factors at the individual and community level with intimate partner violence with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR).
RESULT
The overall prevalence of intimate partner violence was 41.1% with a 95% CI (40.07%, 42.60. Male-headed households, poorest and middle wealth status, partner alcohol use, separated/widowed current marital status, and low education of women were statistically significantly associated with intimate partner violence at the individual level variables in this study.
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of intimate partner violence was high. Educating women, reducing partner alcohol use, and improving the economic status of women, were crucial in mitigating the burden of intimate partner violence. The intimate partners are supposed to respect the rights of women.
Topics: Humans; Female; Kenya; Adult; Intimate Partner Violence; Adolescent; Young Adult; Middle Aged; Health Surveys; Prevalence; Multilevel Analysis; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Sociodemographic Factors
PubMed: 38824543
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19012-9 -
Atencion Primaria May 2024Gender is an important determinant of health. Its relationship with inequality and violence allows us to consider being a woman as a risk factor for health. Girls and...
Gender is an important determinant of health. Its relationship with inequality and violence allows us to consider being a woman as a risk factor for health. Girls and teenager girls are not exempt from this circumstance, which conditions their lives from before birth and can determine their health status throughout life. It can vary according to social contexts, as various factors intersect with gender, adding risk and vulnerability to being a woman. Gender-based violence is often identified as a problem for adult women; however, the experience of discriminatory gender-based violence is constructed throughout women's lives, producing serious individual and social consequences from childhood. Accepting this violence as a «private or domestic matter» often prevents seeing the true dimension of the problem, its consequences, and the need to address it as a global issue.
PubMed: 38824117
DOI: 10.1016/j.aprim.2024.102972