Estimating the burden of disease attributable to interpersonal violence in South Africa in 2000
Norman, R.; Bradshaw, D.; Schneider, M.; Jewkes, R.; Mathews, S.; Abrahams, N.; Matzopoulos, R.; Vos, T.
South African Medical Journal 97(8 Pt 2): 653-656
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0256-9574 PMID: 17957838 Document Number: 204770
The total burden of disease and injury attributable to interpersonal violence was estimated for selected health outcomes using categorical and counterfactual approaches. In addition, using comparative risk assessment (CRA) methods of counterfactual analysis it was possible to quantify the additional health impact related to exposure to two types of family violence, namely child sexual abuse (CSA) and intimate partner violence (IPV). Interpersonal violence (including not only the injury burden but also some of the mental health, behavioural and reproductive long-term health consequences) was an important risk to health in South Africa (SA) and accounted for an estimated 34 776 deaths (95% uncertainty interval 32 487-37 473) or 6.7% (95% uncertainty interval 6.2%-7.2%) of all deaths in SA in 2000. Out of the 17 risk factors included in the SA CRA, it was the second leading cause of healthy years of life lost after sexually transmitted infections from unsafe sex. Interpersonal violence accounted for 1.4 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) or 8.4% of all DALYs (95% uncertainty interval 7.9%-9.1%) in 2000. Attributable burden was higher in males (62.2%) than females (37.8%). The contribution of the different interpersonal violence subcategories was assessed in females. IPV accounted for 62.4% of the total interpersonal violence attributable burden in females. Injury burden from 'unspecified community and family violence' contributed 29.2% and CSA 8.5% of the total interpersonal violence attributable burden in females.