Head and Neck Injuries Observed in Violence against Women

Abstract

Gender-based violence is a public health problem according to the WHO, e specially among women. Head and Neck injuries during this type of violence are multiple, responsible for physical and psychological damage that can alter the social and professional life of the woman. The aim of this study was to map the Head and Neck injuries observed during domestic, marital or family violence against women. Our retrospective and prospective study conducted from 2018 to 2020 in the ENT, Head and Neck service at reference health center of the commune I of Bamako in Mali, allowed us to collect 30 files of female patients who were victims of violence. The prevalence of violence was identified in 24% of cases out of 125 cases of trauma in women. The average age was 26 years with extremes of 12 to 48 years. Female students represented 33.33% of the cases. Married women represented 66.67%. The perpetrator was the spouse or partner in 73.33% of the cases. The mode of aggression was slapping in 76.67% and punching in 23.33%. The predominant functional and physical signs were respectively otalgia, hearing loss (30% each) and tympanic perforation (50%). 13.33% had a type 1 tympanoplasty. Residual perforations with conductive hearing loss were noted in 13.33% at 45 dB. These traumas affect a population of varied socioeconomic level, relatively young, posing a problem of psychological care and integration of women within the socio-professional activities vector of economic independence.