Physical domestic violence (DV) against women is associated with adverse health effects and great burden on victims, families and communities. The phenomenon, though prevalent in EMR countries, is not well defined regarding the determining factors.

This systematic review is to sum up evidences from the EMR countries, on factors associated with physical DV.

Methods:

Pubmed, EMBASE, ISI, PsycInfo, IMEMR, Ovid, Global health, Cochrane Library, IranMedex, SID, IranDoc, Science direct, Elsevier, Proquest and Magiran were searched with no language limits up to December 30, 2011. The hand searching included papers’ lists of references and evidence list of “The National agenda for preventing domestic violence”.

Quantitative studies on ever partnered, not-pregnant women in the EMR countries, which referred to either predisposing or protective factors of physical DV, in each of victims, perpetrators and community domains, were selected. A criterion based critical appraisal was performed by two reviewers.

The Odds Ratios of all reported factors - regardless of statistical significance- were either directly extracted from the papers or indirectly calculated from provided contingency tables, and used to make summary tables.

According to 16 finally selected articles, either partners’ lower levels of education, their witnessing /exposure to DV in childhood, personal/ family unfavorable socioeconomic status, rural residency and husbands’ alcohol / drug abuse were predisposing; while consanguinity, women’s age and employment were protective factors.

Findings are consistent with most international evidences. A meta-analysis will provide a more comprehensive understanding and evidence.