Physical and Psychosocial Health of Bedouin Arab Women of the Negev Area of Israel: Impact of High Fertility and Pervasive Domestic Violence

• NCJ Number: 200049
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2003 Pages: 240-257
• Author(s): Julie Cwikel; Rachel Lev-Wiesel; Alean Al-Krenawi
• Editor(s): Claire M. Renzetti
• Date Published: February 2003
• Length: 18 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the relationship between the variables of fertility rate, exposure to physical violence, experiences of domestic violence, and health problems among Bedouin Arab Israeli women.

Abstract

To date, there are no published studies on the extent of domestic violence among Bedouin Arab women and its association with other variables, such as the high fertility rate, or its effect on women’s health. This article is a combined examination of this issue. This study examined the self-reported health status of Bedouin Arab women in relation to two salient features of current Bedouin social mores: the emphasis on maintaining a high rate of fertility and the social acceptance of domestic violence. The research was based on a survey conducted by the Commonwealth Club in the United States and considered a comprehensive national survey of American women’s health. A total of 202 interviews were conducted from Bedouin women who visited the Soroka University Medical Center. To examine the extent of domestic violence among Bedouin Arab women and its association with high fertility and physical and mental health problems, four analyses were conducted. The results indicate that Bedouin Arab wives have a very high rate of fertility until they reach age 40 and that high fertility is associated with greater reported domestic violence. Also, these women have a high rate of many health problems, such as anemia and repeated urinary tract infections. During pregnancy, women are somewhat less likely to report being abused. What was notable was that the rate of domestic violence appeared to be somewhat higher among women who had acquired some education, with the majority living in settled, urban communities. The high reported rate of domestic violence among Bedouin Arab women requires the development of social interventions with the collaboration of community opinion leaders. References