The Relationship between Physical Violence by Husband and Sleep Quality Disorders in Pregnant Women

Introduction: Sleep is one of the most important life needs which plays an essential role in health. Domestic violence, especially physical violence, affects sleep quality. This study was performed with aim to determine the relationship between physical violence and sleep quality disorders in pregnant women. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in 2019 on 200 pregnant women referred to the affiliated centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran. Demographic data were collected using researcher-made Demographic-Midwifery Questionnaire, data related to domestic violence using World Health Organization Domestic Violence questionnaire and data related to sleep quality using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 23) and Independent t-test, Chi-square and Spearman correlation coefficient. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:In this study, 70 samples (35.2) had poor sleep quality and the highest and lowest frequency of physical violence was: pushing (16) and heating (4). There was a statistically significant relationship between sleep quality and physical violence (p<0.001). The correlation coefficient of physical violence with sleep quality disorders was r = 0.149 (p=0.049). Conclusion: Considering the positive relationship between physical violence and sleep disorders, it is recommended that screen and identify the cases of domestic violence during pregnancy in those who refer with complaints of sleep disorders. Therefore, counseling, formulating and implementing the women's empowerment programs in the case of violence will promote their health.