• Angela J Taft, Rhonda L Powell, and Lyndsey F Watson.
• Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Victoria.
• Aust N Z J Public Health. 2015 Apr 1; 39 (2): 177-81.

ObjectivesTo determine differences in reproductive health and infant and child mortality and health between abused and non-abused ever-married women in Timor-Leste.MethodsSecondary data analysis of Timor-Leste Demographic Health Survey (1,959 ever-married women aged 15-49 years). Associations with violence estimated using multinomial logistic regression adjusted for sociodemographic variables and age of first intercourse.ResultsOverall, 45% of ever-married women experienced violence: 34% reported physical only and 11% reported combined physical, sexual and/or emotional violence. Compared to non-abused women, women reporting physical violence only were more likely to use traditional contraception (AdjOR 2.35, 95%CI 1.05-5.26) or report: a sexually transmitted infection (AdjOR 4.46, 95%CI 3.27-6.08); a pregnancy termination (AdjOR 1.42, 95%CI 1.03-1.96); a child who had died (AdjOR 1.30, 95%CI 1.05-1.60), a low birth weight infant (AdjOR 2.08, 95%CI 1.64-2.64); and partially vaccinated children (AdjOR 1.35, 95%CI 1.05-1.74). Women who reported combined abuse were more likely to report: a sexually transmitted infection (AdjOR 3.51, 95%CI 2.26-5.44); a pregnancy termination (AdjOR 1.95, 95%CI 1.27-3.01); few antenatal visits (AdjOR 1.76 95%CI 1.21-2.55); and a child who had died (AdjOR 1.45, 95%CI 1.06-2.00).ConclusionsViolence exposes women to poor reproductive health, infant and child mortality and poor infant and child health.ImplicationsPreventing and reducing violence against women should improve women and children's health outcomes in Timor-Leste.© 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

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