Exposure to violence among substance-dependent pregnant women and their children

Velez, Martha L.; Montoya, Ivan D.; Jansson, Lauren M.; Walters, Vickie; Svikis, Dace; Jones, Hendree E.; Chilcoat, Howard; Campbell, Jacquelyn

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2005.09.001

« Previous Next »Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume 30, Issue 1 , Pages 31-38, January 2006

Exposure to violence among substance-dependent pregnant women and their children

Martha L. Velez, M.D.
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Corresponding author. Center for Addiction and Pregnancy, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 4940 Eastern Ave. D-5, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. Tel.: +1 410 550 3414; fax: +1 410 550 3027.
Ivan D. Montoya, M.D.
- University of Antioquia, Antioquia, Columbia
Lauren M. Jansson, M.D.
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Vickie Walters, L.C.S.W.-C.
- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
Dace Svikis, Ph.D.
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
Hendree E. Jones, Ph.D.
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Howard Chilcoat, Ph.D.
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Jacquelyn Campbell, RN
- Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA

Received 24 March 2005; received in revised form 21 September 2005; accepted 22 September 2005.

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of exposure to violence among drug-dependent pregnant women attending a multidisciplinary perinatal substance abuse treatment program. Participants (N = 715) completed the Violence Exposure Questionnaire within 7 days after their admission to the program. Their rates of lifetime abuse ranged from 72.7% for physical abuse to 71.3% for emotional abuse to 44.5% for sexual abuse. Their rates of abuse remained high during their current pregnancy, ranging from 40.9% for emotional abuse to 20.0% for physical abuse to 7.1% for sexual abuse. Nearly one third of the women reported having physical fights with their current partner (lifetime), and 25% of these women reported that children were present during those physical fights. A total of 30% of the women perceived a need for counseling regarding exposure to violence for themselves and 15% perceived a need for counseling for their children. Study findings confirm previous reports of high rates of abuse and violence exposure among substance-abusing pregnant women and their strong need for counseling for psychosocial sequelae. This study affirmed the value of routine screening for violence exposure in this at-risk population as well as the need to train therapists in specific strategies for helping such women address this complex array of problems.

Keywords: Violence, Sexual/physical/emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Women, Drug dependence, Children