Effects of domestic violence on the mental health of married women in Tehran

Domestic violence against women is a major public health problem throughout the world. Feelings of shame, guilt and fear on the part of women, together with an unresponsive health care system continue to silence and isolate women who suffer abuse and negligence- with major effects on their physical and mental health. Mental health consequences include depression, anxiety, stress disorders, and somatization. This study estimates the prevalence of domestic violence and its associated effects on the victim's mental health. This cross-sectional study used data from 1189 married women over the age of 15, selected randomly among the residents of Tehran. The overall prevalence of domestic violence was 35.7%. Thirty percent of the subjects had experienced physical violence, 29% suffered mental violence and 10% had been victims of sexual violence; many of these women had suffered all the three types. The most frequent types of physical violence included beating in the form of kicks, punches, and slaps (91%); common types of mental abuse included humiliation, verbal abuse and insults (93%), and threats of violence (83%). Data on mental health status indicate that overall, as many as 34.1% of women could be suffering from disorders such as depression and anxiety. The risk of psychiatric disease was 3.5 times higher in victims of violence compared to other women (OR = 3.5, CI 95% = 2.72 - 4.58). Major factors contributing to domestic violence were husband addiction, low economic status, and the number of children (P<0.001). These results are consistent with the current literature on domestic violence and illustrate the high prevalence of this phenomenon. Victims are commonly depressed and have a higher rate of anxiety. Violence is an important indicator of women’s health. Screening programs for domestic violence could be effective, along with community support and referral to health care and legal facilities. It is also crucial to promote knowledge and awareness of violence among health care providers. This study shows that a community-wide effort to establish links between health care settings and community services may be important in addressing the needs of victims.