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BACKGROUND: The purpose of this paper is to describe women's opinions and policy preferences concerning domestic violence screening and mandatory reporting. METHODS: This case-control study included 202 abused women and 240 randomly selected non-abused women recruited from a large metropolitan health maintenance organization who were interviewed by telephone. Of these women, 46.6% had a college degree, 53.4% were white, and 60% had a household income of $50,000 or more. RESULTS: Forty-eight percent of the sample agreed that health care providers should routinely screen all women, with abused women 1.5 times more likely than non-abused women to support this policy. For mandatory reporting, 48% preferred that it be the woman's decision to report abuse to the police. Women thought it would be easier for abused women to get help with routine screening (86%) and mandatory reporting (73%), although concerns were raised about increased risk of abuse with both screening (43%) and reporting (52%) policies. Two thirds of the sample thought women would be less likely to tell their health care providers about abuse under a mandatory reporting policy. Interventions offered in managed care settings that would be well received, according to the women in this study, include counseling services, shelters, and confidential hotlines. CONCLUSIONS: Women expressed fears and concerns about negative consequences of routine screening and, even more so, for mandatory reporting. Domestic violence policies and protocols need to address the safety, autonomy, and confidentiality issues that concern women.

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Intimate partner violence is widespread and results in significant negative mental and physical health outcomes for women. This article is a review of nursing research on intimate partner violence and women's reproductive health and focuses on studies published since 1995, building on prior reviews. We begin with research on forced sex and the resulting physical and emotional trauma as well as implications for contraception, STD/HIV prevention, and condom use negotiation. We then discuss several approaches to the study of abuse during pregnancy, including several studies of nursing interventions. We conclude with the clinical implications of these studies.

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Until 1994, there was a paucity of research aimed at the female soldier. With the dramatic increase in the numbers of military women and their subsequent assumption of expanded roles, it is vital that increased research emphasis be exerted toward this group. A 1994 Congressional directive mandated that women be included in all Department of Defense-sponsored research. This led to the establishment of the Defense Women's Health Research Center for "multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research" on military women's health issues. This article presents demographic data of military women along with descriptions of current research endeavors and issues in need of continued and future research.

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Pakistan is a relatively new nation of predominantly Islamic influence. Like many developing countries, it is plagued by extensive communicable diseases, malnutrition, inadequate sewage systems, and illiteracy. Religious beliefs and cultural influences impact heavily on access to health care and on maternal-child health outcomes. This paper examines the major maternal-child health problems encountered, as well as implications for midwifery practice in an Islamic country.

PIP: Efforts to improve health status in Pakistan are hindered by rampant communicable diseases, malnutrition, inadequate sewage systems, and a scarcity of safe drinking water. The infant mortality rate is 90/1000, while the maternal mortality rate is 4-6/1000. Further impediments to change are an 867% illiteracy rate (95% among women), the subordinate status of women, and absolute submission to the will of Allah. Access to prenatal care is severely limited, and the majority of rural births are attended by local dai. Premature labor, premature rupture of membranes, placenta previa, malpresentation, intrauterine fetal death, chorioamnionitis, uterine rupture, and eclampsia are frequent complications of childbirth. The fetal loss rate is 18% in women of parity 5 and over and 12% in women of parities 1-4. To improve infant and maternal survival, the Government of Pakistan has established a national midwifery training program and seeks to encourage contraceptive use. Many of these programs have encountered resistance from Muslims, and cultural practices such as arranged child marriages, consanguinity, purdah, and mandatory fasting continue to endanger the health of mothers and infants. Improved access to education for women, another government goal, may be the key to increasing access to health care within the context of a Muslim culture.

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