This study evaluated the effectiveness of an empowerment intervention in reducing intimate partner violence (IPV) and improving health status.
A randomized controlled trial involved 110 Chinese pregnant women with a history of being abused by their intimate partners. All were receiving services from an antenatal clinic in a Hong Kong public hospital. The women were randomized to the experimental or control group. Women in the experimental group received empowerment training specially designed for Chinese abused pregnant women, and the control group women received standard care for abused women. Data were collected at study entry and 6 weeks postnatal. Intimate partner violence (IPV) was measured with the Conflict Tactics Scale; health-related quality of life was measured with the SF-36; and postnatal depression was measured with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The evaluation found that following the training, the experimental group had significantly higher physical functioning and significantly improved role limitation due to physical problems and emotional problems. They also reported less psychological (but not sexual) abuse, minor (but not severe) physical violence, and had significantly lower postnatal depression scores; however, they reported more bodily pain. Overall, the study concluded that an empowerment intervention specially designed for Chinese abused pregnant women was effective in reducing IPV and improving the health of the women. (publisher abstract modified)