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Objective To assess the measurement accuracy and the utility of the Chinese Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS). Design A cross-sectional study. Setting An antenatal clinic of a public hospital and a community centre in Hong Kong. Sample A total of 257 Chinese women consisting of 100 pregnant women and 157 nonpregnant women. Method The Chinese AAS was administered first, followed by the Chinese Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2). This was performed in the same sitting, and each participant was interviewed once either at an antenatal clinic (for the pregnant women sample) or at a community centre (for the nonpregnant women sample). Main outcome measures Estimates of the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and positive and negative likelihood ratios. Results Using the Chinese CTS2 as the standard, the specificity estimates of the Chinese AAS for emotional, physical and sexual abuse were ≥89%, while the sensitivity estimates varied from 36.3 to 65.8%. The sensitivity improved in the screening for more severe cases (66.7%). The positive predictive values were ≥80%, and the negative predictive values varied from 66 to 93%. Factors such as the age difference between the couple and the woman’s need for financial assistance were found to be associated with intimate partner violence (IPV). Conclusion The Chinese AAS has demonstrated satisfactory measurement accuracy and utility for identifying IPV when the Chinese CTS2 was used as the standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation and dating partner violence in a cohort of 651 university students in social sciences classes at three universities in Hong Kong. A standard questionnaire was completed within one class period to examine the rates of occurrence of physical assault perpetration and suicidal ideation. Separate rates are presented for male and female perpetrators and for severe and overall levels of violence. The differences between subjects having suicidal ideation are compared using t tests. Logistic regression is used to predict the presence or absence of physical assault in the preceding year of reporting and suicidal ideation based on the variables such as Personal Relationship Profile, age, relationship length, and socioeconomic status. Results showed that 55% of suicidal persons had a history of violence, whereas 39% of violent people had a history of suicidal ideation. Logistic regression showed that physical assault shared a total of seven associated factors with suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation seems to have no direct relation to physical and sexual assault, but they do share some common associated factors that are essential for the development of suicide prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the measurement accuracy and the utility of the Chinese Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS)., Design: A cross-sectional study., Setting: An antenatal clinic of a public hospital and a community centre in Hong Kong., Sample: A total of 257 Chinese women consisting of 100 pregnant women and 157 nonpregnant women., Method: The Chinese AAS was administered first, followed by the Chinese Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2). This was performed in the same sitting, and each participant was interviewed once either at an antenatal clinic (for the pregnant women sample) or at a community centre (for the nonpregnant women sample)., Main Outcome Measures: Estimates of the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and positive and negative likelihood ratios., Results: Using the Chinese CTS2 as the standard, the specificity estimates of the Chinese AAS for emotional, physical and sexual abuse were > or = 89%, while the sensitivity estimates varied from 36.3 to 65.8%. The sensitivity improved in the screening for more severe cases (66.7%). The positive predictive values were > or = 80%, and the negative predictive values varied from 66 to 93%. Factors such as the age difference between the couple and the woman's need for financial assistance were found to be associated with intimate partner violence (IPV)., Conclusion: The Chinese AAS has demonstrated satisfactory measurement accuracy and utility for identifying IPV when the Chinese CTS2 was used as the standard.

Background: The incidence of birth trauma and birth asphyxia related to instrumental deliveries in our obstetric unit was high (2.8%) in 1998-1999. A study was performed in 2000 to identify the risk factors. Unexpectedly, the incidence (0.6%) was reduced significantly during the study period. We attributed this phenomenon to the famous Hawthorne effect (tendency to improve performance because of awareness of being studied)., Objectives: The objectives were to study whether there is a continued reduction in the incidence of birth trauma and birth asphyxia related to instrumental deliveries in the post-study period (2001-2003) and to investigate the presence of underlying confounding factors apart from the Hawthorne effect., Method: To compare the hospital obstetric statistics among the pre-study period (1998-1999), the study period (2000) and the post-study period (2001-2003), in particular the incidence of birth trauma and birth asphyxia related to instrumental deliveries, the instrumental delivery rate, the overall Caesarean section rate, the Caesarean section rate for no progress of labour, the incidence of failed instrumental delivery, the incidence of attempted instrumental delivery in the operating theatre, and incidence of direct second-stage Caesarean sections., Results: The incidence of birth trauma and birth asphyxia related to instrumental deliveries (0.6%) during the study period (2000) was significantly lower than that (2.8%) during the pre-study period (1998-1999; RR 0.27, 95% CI 0.11-0.70). This phenomenon continued into the post-study period (2001-2003) when the incidence of 1.0% was similarly lower than that in the pre-study period (RR 0.35, 95% CI 0.20-0.64). The instrumental delivery rate decreased further in the post-study period (13.5%) compared with those in the study (16.6%) and pre-study (19.5%) periods (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.75-0.89 and RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.65-0.74, respectively). There was a marked increase in the direct second-stage Caesarean section rate in the post-study period (7.1%) compared to those in the study (0.4%) and pre-study (0.7%) periods (RR 15.9, 95% CI 5.05-49.73 and RR 9.77, 95% CI 5.28-18.08, respectively)., Conclusion: A change in obstetric practice was identified that may explain the continued reduction in the incidence of birth trauma and birth asphyxia related to instrumental deliveries in the post-study period.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of intimate partner violence on the quality of life in Obstetric/Gynecological (OBGYN) patients., Method: A total of 1614 OBGYN patients were classified into four groups (Group 1: requesting termination of pregnancy, n=300; Group 2: infertility patients, n=500; Group 3: other general gynecological patients, n=300; Group 4: obstetric patients, n=514) were successfully interviewed in the absence of their male partners, using a structured questionnaire modified from the Abuse Assessment Screen Questionnaire. Those who reported ever having been abused, together with an equal number of non-abused women as controls, were asked to complete the World Health Organization Quality of Life Measure - Abbreviated version (Hong Kong) Questionnaire., Results: The overall lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence was 7.2%, with the lifetime prevalence being 12.7%, 1.8%, 4.7%, and 10.9% respectively in Groups 1-4. The mean quality of life domain scores among the abused victims were significantly lower in the physical health domain, social relationship domain, environment domain and psychological health domain., Conclusion: The baseline quality of life of the victims of intimate partner violence is significantly impaired compared with the non-abused controls.

Objectives: To study the relationship between domestic violence and postnatal blues/depression in a Chinese community., Methods: This was a prospective cohort study on 838 women after delivery in a local university teaching hospital. Between October, 2000 and February, 2001, all Chinese speaking women after delivery were invited to be interviewed by a designated research nurse using the Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) to detect the incidence of domestic violence, the nature of violence and the perpetrator of abuse. Demographic data, pregnancy outcome, Stein's Daily Scoring System (SDSS) scores on day 2 or 3 postdelivery, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores on day 2 or 3 postdelivery, 1-2 days after discharge from hospital and at 6 weeks postdelivery were compared between the abused and non-abused groups using Student's t-test, chi(2)-test and Fisher's exact test as appropriate., Results: A total of 139 women (16.6%) had been abused in the last year (the abused group). Of these, 87 (10.4%) had been abused during the current pregnancy. The nature of abuse was mainly verbal. Fourteen women (1.7%) had been sexually abused in the last year. The husband/boyfriend, mother-in-law and employer/colleague were the most common perpetrators of abuse. Socio-demographic factors did not differ between the two groups except that pregnancy was more likely to be unplanned in the abused group (P=0.002). The pregnancy outcome did not differ. However, the abused group had significantly higher SDSS and EPDS scores at all stages of screening (P=0.003, P=0.000, P=0.010 and P=0.001, respectively)., Conclusion: The findings supported our hypothesis that the effect of domestic violence on Chinese pregnant women is mainly on their psychological well-being.

Objectives: (1) To determine and compare the prevalence of domestic violence among abortion-seeking patients with other general gynecology patients; (2) to see if a follow-up interview 6 weeks after abortion can improve the abuse disclosure rate; (3) to see if the abused victims accept direct referral to their gynecologists/social workers for help., Methods: This is a prospective questionnaire survey in a university teaching hospital on patients seeking abortion and an approximately equal number of other general gynecology patients. Participants were interviewed by a designated project nurse in a private setting, using a structured questionnaire (Modified Abuse Assessment Screen Questionnaire) to assess the past and recent history of abuse. The interview was repeated 6 weeks after the abortion for the abortion-seeking group., Results: Five hundred and one participants were interviewed, including 245 seeking abortion (TOP group) and 256 other general gynecology patients (non-TOP group). The lifetime prevalence of abuse in the TOP group (27.3%) was significantly higher than the non-TOP group (8.2%) (P<0.001). Repeating the interview 6 weeks after the abortion did not increase the disclosure rate. Most abused victims were unwilling to disclose their information of abuse to their gynecologists or social workers at the time of interview., Conclusions: Domestic violence is a significant problem among the gynecology patients, particularly those seeking abortion. A single interview prior to abortion is adequately effective for screening. However, the most effective and acceptable way of helping these victims needs to be explored further.

Objective: To study the incidence of domestic violence in pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of a local teaching hospital., Study Design: All pregnant women attending their first antenatal clinic in Tsan Yuk Hospital between 11th August and 3rd November, 1998 were interviewed by a designated research nurse (Y.Y.J.L.) using a standard questionnaire (Abuse Assessment Screen) to detect the incidence of domestic violence, the nature of violence, the frequency of violence and the perpetrator of abuse. Demographic factors of the abused group were compared with those of the non-abused group using student's t-test and chi-square test., Results: Pregnant women (631) were interviewed; 113 of them (17.9%) had a history of abuse; 99 women (15.7%) had been abused in the last year; 27 of them (4.3%) had been abused during their current pregnancy; 59 women (9.4%) had been sexually abused in the last year. The husband was the perpetrator in the majority of cases. The nature of violence during pregnancy was mainly psychological in the form of threats of abuse without any physical injury. Risk factors included unplanned pregnancy (P = 0.002) and women with husbands/partners who were unemployed or manual workers (P < 0.05). Unexpectedly, domestic violence occurred more commonly in permanent local residents rather than new immigrants (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: This is probably the first study on the incidence of domestic violence in pregnant women in a Chinese community. The incidence is comparable to that from American studies. Routine screening with structured questions during the antenatal visits is necessary in order to identify the abused women so as to prevent potential trauma and to interrupt existing abuse.