Study suggests health care access problems for pregnant Māori women experiencing IPV

A study examining immediate and long-term health outcomes for pregnant women hospitalised after an assault has suggested that Māori women experiencing violence may have problems accessing health care.

The influence of ethnicity on the outcomes of violence in pregnancy (2014), by Drs Pauline Gulliver and Robyn Dixon of the University of Auckland, retrospectively analysed hospital discharge records for women aged 25 and under, for five years after they were admitted for a pregnancy event. Records were grouped according to ethnicity (Māori or non-Māori) and as follows:

• A pregnancy-related hospital admission, but no associated or subsequent assault recorded ("pregnant only")
• An assault-related hospital admission event after the pregnancy, but within five years of the pregnancy ("assault after pregnancy")
• An assault recorded within the same hospital admission event as the pregnancy ("assault during pregnancy").

The study found that a higher percentage of young pregnant Māori women experience assault resulting in hospitalisation either during or after pregnancy than non-Māori.

With assaults after pregnancy, the study found that Māori and non-Māori women were hospitalised for injuries at a similar rate. However, previous research has found Māori women experience a higher prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) than non-Māori women and a higher proportion of Māori women report more severe violence. Evidence also exists that Māori may be less likely to seek medical help or face more barriers to accessing services than other New Zealanders. Given this, the authors suggest the study's findings reflect potential problems with health care access for Māori women experiencing IPV.

Dr Pauline Gulliver said clinicians and midwives should screen pregnant women, asking them if they feel safe in their relationships, giving them the opportunity to speak out and providing resources to assist them.

The article abstract is available via the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse library (for the full text, contact your local library).

Media:

Violence during pregnancy risk studied, Radio NZ, 29.10.2014

Te Manu Korihi News, Radio NZ, 29.10.2014

Image: Pregnant woman2 by Canwest News. Licence: Public Domain Dedication