Incidence of intimate partner violence among Ugandan women with pelvic floor dysfunction

Abstract Objective To assess the occurrence of intimate partner violence ( IPV ) among women seeking surgery for pelvic floor dysfunction ( PFD ) in a rural African community. Methods A prospective questionnaire‐based study was conducted among women with obstetric fistula, unrepaired obstetric anal sphincter injuries ( OASIS ), or severe (stage 3 or 4) pelvic organ prolapse ( POP ) who attended surgical camps at Kagando Hospital in western Uganda between July 15, 2016, and September 14, 2017. The control group comprised women without PFD . Participants completed the Hurt, Insult, Threaten, and Scream ( HITS ) tool and the Woman Abuse Screening Tool ( WAST ) to screen for IPV . Results 117 of the 312 women interviewed reported current IPV : 73/214 (34.1%) in the PFD group and 44/98 (44.9%) in the control group. The PFD group comprised unrepaired OASIS (n=85, 39.7%), obstetric fistula (n=75, 35.1%), and severe POP (n=54, 25.2%). All groups experienced high levels of IPV . The frequency of positive screening results for IPV with WAST (score ≥13.0) and/or HITS (score ≥10.5) were: severe POP (n=17, 31.5%), obstetric fistula (n=28, 37.3%), unrepaired OASIS (n=30, 35.3%), and control group (n=44, 44.9%). Conclusion Women in western Uganda experienced high rates of IPV , regardless of whether or not they had PFD . ANZCTR number: ACTRN 12617001073392.