@article{ref1,
title="Association of the COVID-19 pandemic with unstable and/or unsafe living situations and intimate partner violence among pregnant individuals",
journal="JAMA network open",
year="2023",
author="Avalos, Lyndsay A. and Ray, G. Thomas and Alexeeff, Stacey E. and Adams, Sara R. and Does, Monique B. and Watson, Carey and Young-Wolff, Kelly C.",
volume="6",
number="2",
pages="e230172-e230172",
abstract="IMPORTANCE: The social, behavioral, and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with unstable and/or unsafe living situations and intimate partner violence (IPV) among pregnant individuals. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To investigate trends in unstable and/or unsafe living situations and IPV among pregnant individuals prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional population-based interrupted time-series analysis was conducted among Kaiser Permanente Northern California members who were pregnant and screened for unstable and/or unsafe living situation and IPV as part of standard prenatal care between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. EXPOSURES: COVID-19 pandemic (prepandemic period: January 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020; during pandemic period: April 1 to December 31, 2020). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The 2 outcomes were unstable and/or unsafe living situations and IPV. Data were extracted from electronic health records. Interrupted time-series models were fit and adjusted for age and race and ethnicity. <br><br>RESULTS: The study sample included 77 310 pregnancies (74 663 individuals); 27.4% of the individuals were Asian or Pacific Islander, 6.5% were Black, 29.0% were Hispanic, 32.3% were non-Hispanic White, and 4.8% were other/unknown/multiracial, with a mean (SD) age of 30.9 (5.3) years. Across the 24-month study period there was an increasing trend in the standardized rate of unsafe and/or unstable living situations (2.2%; rate ratio [RR], 1.022; 95% CI, 1.016-1.029 per month) and IPV (4.9%; RR, 1.049; 95% CI, 1.021-1.078 per month). The ITS model indicated a 38% increase (RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.13-1.69) in the first month of the pandemic for unsafe and/or unstable living situation, with a return to the overall trend afterward for the study period. For IPV, the interrupted time-series model suggested an increase of 101% (RR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.20-3.37) in the first 2 months of the pandemic. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This cross-sectional study noted an overall increase in unstable and/or unsafe living situations and IPV over the 24-month period, with a temporary increase associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. It may be useful for emergency response plans to include IPV safeguards for future pandemics. These findings suggest the need for prenatal screening for unsafe and/or unstable living situations and IPV coupled with referral to appropriate support services and preventive interventions.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2574-3805",
doi="10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.0172",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.0172"
}