Factors associated with physical violence against pregnant women from São Luís, Maranhão State, Brazil: an approach using structural equation modeling

Fatores associados à agressão física contra gestantes em São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil: uma abordagem com modelagem de equações estruturais

Factores asociados a la agresión física contra embarazadas en São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil: un enfoque con modelos de ecuaciones estructurales

Abstract:

The factors associated with physical violence against pregnant women were analyzed in a cross-sectional study of 1,446 pregnant women from a prenatal cohort who were interviewed in 2010 and 2011 in São Luís, Brazil. In the initial model, socioeconomic status occupied the most distal position, determining sociodemographic factors, social support and the behavioral factors that ultimately determined physical violence, which was investigated as a latent variable. Structural equation modeling was used in the analysis. Pregnant women who were from more disadvantaged backgrounds (p = 0.027), did not reside with intimate partners (p = 0.005), had low social support (p < 0.001) and had a high number of lifetime intimate partners (p = 0.001) reported more episodes of physical violence. Low social support was the primary mediator of the effect of socioeconomic status on physical violence. The effect of marital status was mainly mediated by a high number of lifetime intimate partners.

Keywords:
Pregnant Women; Prenatal Care; Violence Against Women