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From Data to Action: Violence |
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Using Surveillance To Promote Public Health
Examples from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PUBLICATION YEAR 2002
Violence
Physical violence against
women during pregnancy is recognized as a serious health concern for the
mother and the baby.15 Physical assault resulting in abdominal
trauma can lead to fetal loss; early onset of labor; and delivery of a
preterm, low-birth-weight infant. Physical violence also may contribute to
fetal bone fracture, rupture of the mother’s uterus, and antepartum
hemorrhage.16,17
Alaska
 The
Alaska PRAMS project shared 1996–1997 data with the Alaska Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). These
data indicated that women in Alaska receiving supplemental nutritional
benefits through the WIC program were four times more likely to report
physical abuse during the 12 months before pregnancy or during pregnancy
than nonprogram participants. These findings were used to raise awareness
about physical violence among WIC recipients. As a result, a WIC team
focusing on domestic violence was formed. This team participated in the “10
State” domestic violence health initiative sponsored by the Alaska Family
Violence Prevention Project. The purpose of the project was to develop and
implement a statewide plan for a comprehensive health care system response
to domestic violence. The following are three key accomplishments from this
project:
- Community assessment of
local resources for victims of domestic violence and an effort to
strengthen resources for victims, as well as work toward domestic violence
prevention.
- Revision of questions
on the statewide WIC application, including the addition of a code to
collect data on the prevalence of domestic violence in the WIC population.
- Increased domestic
violence screening and the active referral of WIC participants. Screening
is done at each 6-month certification of all 25,000 WIC participants in
the Alaska WIC program.
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Page last reviewed: 3/24/06
Page last modified: 3/24/06
Content source: Division
of Reproductive Health,
National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion |
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