BACKGROUND: This study had a two objectives to determine the prevalence of domestic violence and to know the impact of the same on the oral health.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was done in Jodhpur, Rajasthan; among 150 married women of 18 to 60 years of age using a predesigned pretested proforma from 18th January 2014 to 27th February 2014. Pretested semistructured open-ended questionnaire used for collecting the data from the study subjects. Pearson's Chi-square test and p-value were used to calculated the occurrence and impact of domestic violence on oral health among women.
RESULTS: The most common form of domestic violence found was physical abuse (54.7%) followed by emotional abuse (20.0%) and financial abuse (14.0%). The most important risk factor was alcoholism followed by literacy status and having a girl child. Study shows that physical abuse is more in graduate than lower level of educational females. Females living in urban area show highest frequency of physical abuse than those living in rural area. Injury to the face were highly reported (38.7%) followed by injury to lip (13.3%) and nose fracture/bleeding nose (9.3%).
CONCLUSION: Government has to take stringent action to prevent domestic violence by making women more self-reliant especially by making women more literate and more financially independent.