The association between exposure to interpersonal violence and suicide among women: a systematic review

Predicting Suicide Among US Veterans Using Natural Language Processing-enriched Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health

Despite recognizing the critical association between social and behavioral determinants of health (SBDH) and suicide risk, SBDHs from unstructured electronic health record (EHR) notes for suicide predictive modeling remain underutilized. This study investigates the impact of SBDH, identified from both structured and unstructured data utilizing a natural language processing (NLP) system, on suicide prediction within 7, 30, 90, and 180 days of discharge. Using EHR data of 2,987,006 Veterans between October 1, 2009, and September 30, 2015, from the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA), we designed a case-control study that demonstrates that incorporating structured and NLP-extracted SBDH significantly enhances the performance of three architecturally distinct suicide predictive models - elastic-net logistic regression, random forest (RF), and multilayer perceptron. For example, RF achieved notable improvements in suicide prediction within 180 days of discharge, with an increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve from 83.57-84.25% (95% CI = 0.63%-0.98%, p-val < 0.001) and the area under the precision recall curve from 57.38-59.87% (95% CI = 3.86%-4.82%, p-val < 0.001) after integrating NLP-extracted SBDH. These findings underscore the potential of NLP-extracted SBDH in enhancing suicide prediction across various prediction timeframes, offering valuable insights for healthcare practitioners and policymakers.

Effectiveness of Violence Prevention Interventions: Umbrella Review of Research in the General Population

To address the societal harms of violence, many violence prevention interventions have been developed, tested, and implemented in the general population. These have been reported in systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which have typically focused on one type of intervention or outcome. We aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of different psychosocial interventions in reducing all forms of violence toward others. We have conducted an umbrella review of previous meta-analyses using standard approaches and converted findings on effectiveness into odds ratios. We tested for the underlying quality of the meta-analytic evidence by examining heterogeneity, excess statistical significance, prediction intervals, and small study effects. We identified 16 meta-analyses, including nine investigating psychosocial interventions, and five legislative and policy changes. Most meta-analyses reported positive effects of tested interventions. The strongest effects were found for sports-based initiatives, and the weakest for general population programs aimed at early childhood, youth development, and reducing sexual assault perpetration by men. Legislative changes had varying effectiveness. We conclude that simple, scalable, and cost-efficient programs, such as sport-based initiatives, have the clearest empirical support as population-based approaches to violence prevention.

Intimate partner violence, suicide and self-harm in Sri Lanka: Analysis of national data

There is increasing evidence from South Asia and internationally that intimate partner violence (IPV) is strongly associated with self-harm, however its association with suicide and self-harm has not been extensively examined, nor has this relationship been explored at a national level. Using national datasets, area-level variation in IPV, suicide and self-harm in Sri Lanka were examined. In addition, the association between individual level exposure to past-year IPV and non-fatal self-harm by any household member were explored in a series of multi-level logistic regression models, adjusting for age. Similar patterns in the distribution of suicide and IPV were found, with higher rates evident in post-conflict districts, specifically Batticaloa, Kilinochchi, and Mullaitivu. Experience of past year IPV and its various forms were strongly associated with household-level self-harm in the past year (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.83 95% CI 2.27-6.46). A similar magnitude was found for physical/sexual abuse (AOR 5.17 95% CI 2.95-9.05) and psychological abuse (AOR 4.64 95% CI 2.50-7.00). A dose-response association was also evident for frequency of abuse, with an increasing risk of household-level self-harm for women reporting abuse 'less often' (AOR 2.95 95% CI 1.46-5.92), and abuse experienced 'daily, weekly, or monthly' (AOR 4.83 95% CI 2.59-9.00), compared to no abuse. This study contributes to a growing body of evidence on the relationship between IPV and suicidal behaviour in South Asia. Addressing IPV and its various forms should be a priority for suicide prevention in Sri Lanka, alongside trauma-informed approaches in post-conflict settings.

Analyzing 14-years of suicide rates in Chile: Impact of alcohol policy, domestic violence, and a suicide prevention program

Suicide is a major public health problem worldwide with far-reaching effects on families, communities, and societies. Influencing factors range from macro-level interventions like alcohol control policies and suicide prevention programs to individual contributors such as alcohol abuse and domestic violence. This study aimed to examine the relationship between Chile's suicide rate changes from 2002 to 2015 and the Alcohol Act of 2004, a national suicide prevention program implemented in 2007, alcohol abuse, and domestic violence. Assembling a unique longitudinal dataset from Chilean public institutions, the study employed an instrumental variable time-series cross-regional design. Results indicated that the Alcohol Act was not associated with suicide rates, domestic violence exhibited a significant association with increased suicide rates, and the national suicide prevention program was linked to reductions in suicide rates, especially among males. These findings align with research from neighbouring countries, showcasing the efficacy of suicide prevention programs in decreasing suicide rates in Chile. Results highlight the importance of integrating protocols to early-detect domestic violence in suicide prevention programs, as well as the need to further improving alcohol control policies to complement suicide prevention programs.

Violence Increases Psychological Distress Among Women Trafficking Survivors in Ghana

Human trafficking is a crime that is often shaped by violence, particularly for women who are trafficked. Additionally, trafficking survivors often report severe psychological distress, though research on the causes of this psychological distress is lacking, as there is little longitudinal data available on trafficking survivors. Informed by past literature on the links between violence and mental health among other traumatized groups of women, we investigate how experiences of violence influence posttraumatic stress, depression, and suicide ideation among a unique longitudinal sample of 116 labor-trafficked women in Ghana. We find that experiencing sexual violence while being trafficked is associated with higher levels of both depression and posttraumatic stress years after the trafficking period ended. This indicates both the long-term effects of stress and the enduring nature of psychological distress among the women in this study. Our analytic account of how violent experiences while trafficked impact mental health over the period of reintegration contributes to the general literature on violence and mental health among women, as well as to literature on the health implications of human trafficking.

Excess suicides in Brazil during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic: Gender, regional and age group inequalities

BACKGROUND

While the COVID-19 pandemic's total impact on global mortality is uncertain, an estimated 15 million excess deaths occurred during the first two pandemic years, suggesting that a broad impact, since several causes of death showed a substantial rise.

AIMS

To estimate excess suicides in Brazil and evaluate differences within and between subgroups during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHOD

Based on suicide data from the mortality information system of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the expected number of suicides was estimated by age group, gender, 4-month periods and regions through quasi-Poisson generalized additive models. Analyses were performed in R software and RStudio.

RESULTS

Between March 2020 and February 2022, 29,295 suicides were reported in Brazil, close to what would be expected (30,116; 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): [28,009, 32,224]), albeit in males and females aged 30 to 59 years and 60 years and over, there were excess suicides in at least one of the six 4-month periods evaluated, especially in the second pandemic year. In the Southeast region, a 28% increase was observed in women 60 years and older during the second year. In the North region, suicide increased 23% and 32% among women aged 30 to 59 years during the first and second pandemic years, respectively. The Northeast region had a 16% excess in suicides among men aged 30 to 59 years and 61% among women 60 years old and older during the second pandemic year, reaching 83% in July to October 2021.

CONCLUSIONS

During the first 2 pandemic years, the pattern of suicides was not homogeneous in Brazil. There were substantial excess suicides in women aged 30 to 59 years from the North and Northeast, while among the elderly and men there was a consistent pattern in several four-month periods throughout Brazil.

Youth Suicidality in the Context of Disasters

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature regarding youth suicidality (suicidal ideation, suicidal behavior, and completed suicide) in the context of disasters.

RECENT FINDINGS

There are fewer studies that examine the effect of disasters on suicidality specifically in children and youth than studies that focus on adults or general population. Numerous studies have reported on the effect of disasters on youth mental health in general without zeroing in on suicide risk. Some variables that have shown to increase suicide risk in children and youth after disasters include female gender, age at the time of disaster exposure, dependence on adults, attachments to places and caregivers, family functioning, and vulnerability to mistreatment. Several studies have demonstrated that youth suicidality fluctuates in response to disasters, at times increasing immediately post-disaster and at other times decreasing immediately post-disaster followed by an increase later. Exposure to natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, wildfires, and extremes of temperature and humidity), man-made disasters (e.g., armed conflict, global warming, and pollution), and unique disasters (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) have had significant impact on suicidality in children and adolescents. Although there are several promising interventions to mitigate the post-disaster suicide risk among youth, there is no consensus on a single intervention that is superior to others. More research is needed to study youth suicide risk in the context of disasters and develop culturally appropriate and evidence-based interventions.

A Randomized Control Trial to Test Dissemination of an Online Suicide Prevention Training For Intimate Partner Violence Hotline Workers

Purpose

Suicide risk is higher among violence-involved individuals. Intimate Partner Violence hotline workers are a critical source of support and can potentially be suicide prevention champions. Our primary goal was to examine the effectiveness of disseminating a free, online IPV-Suicide Prevention curriculum, via a randomized control trial, to hotline workers in ten states with the highest suicide and IPV homicide rates.

Method

We divided the country into five regions and, based on criterion, chose two states in each region to randomize into the two arms of the study. We examined training participation and engagement between the two approaches: (1) 'dissemination as usual' (control) using a National Domestic Violence Hotline email and a postcard to state/county IPV directors, versus (2) 'enhanced dissemination' (intervention) using a four-point touch method (postcard, phone call, email, and letter) to 'drive' participation.

Results

Participation increased in the intervention arm as approaches became more personal (i.e., email and phone calls vs. letters). Results indicate that traditional dissemination strategies such as email announcements and invitations are not as effective as varied and multiple touchpoints for IPV hotline staff.

Conclusion

Successful dissemination strategies to promote digital training should consider the value added by personalized connection. Future research is needed to understand how to offer effective and efficient web-based training to those providing IPV and child abuse services.

Understanding for Prevention: Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of Suicide Notes and Forensic Reports

Suicide risk is associated with vulnerabilities and specific life events. The study's objective was to explore the relevance of data from forensic documentation on suicide deaths to the design of person-centered preventive strategies. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted of forensic observations of 286 deaths by suicide, including some with suicide notes. Key findings included the influence of health-and family-related adverse events, emotional states of loss and sadness, and failures of the health system to detect and act on signs of vulnerability, as confirmed by the suicide notes. Forensic documentation provides useful information to improve the targeting of preventive campaigns.

The Body in Crisis: A Health Needs Assessment among Female Survivors of Interpersonal Violence

BACKGROUND

When women who experience violence seek social services, they are looking to meet immediate needs: shelter, safety, and support. Seeking assistance as part of a crisis may inadvertently detract attention away from other critical needs. Literature illustrates the emotional and physical effects of violence on women's bodies, as well as their long-term health. While health may present as an urgent need in cases of serious injury, it is often overlooked in crisis-oriented service delivery systems. This study explored the experience with violence, health status, and holistic healthcare needs among women accessing interpersonal violence services in Texas.

METHODS

A tablet-based survey was conducted at a family justice center, rape crisis center, and emergency shelter among women (N = 99) in Fort Worth, Texas. Survey questions assessed the participants' demographic information, health status, health needs, healthcare utilization, barriers to accessing healthcare, and experience with interpersonal violence among participating women.

RESULTS

Two-thirds of the sample reported suffering injuries from victimization experiences. More than half of the sample (62%) reported they went to the emergency room at least one time in the last 6 months, with 11 women reported staying five or more nights in the hospital in the last 6 months. Participants described urgent (e.g., advised by healthcare provider, too serious for a clinic) and non-urgent (e.g., not having another source of care, closest provider) reasons for using the emergency room. Roughly, half of the sample (50%) reported having at least three chronic conditions.

DISCUSSION

This study illustrated that women seeking interpersonal violence related (IPV) services have multiple unmet needs and lack adequate access to physical and mental health care. Since the majority of the sample was living in poverty, there are multiple costs and investments in the participants' health that were forgone for their survival. This study provides data in support of the development of health-related services for IPV survivors.

ADRA2B and HTR1A: An Updated Study of the Biogenic Amine Receptors Reveals Novel Conserved Motifs Which Play Key Role in Mental Disorders

Mental disorders are strongly connected with several psychiatric conditions including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorder, and suicides. There are many biological conditions and pathways that define these complicated illnesses. For example, eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that require the intervention of geneticists, psychiatrists, and medical experts in order to alleviate their symptoms. A patient with suicidal ideation should first be identified and consequently monitored by a similar team of specialists. Both genetics and epigenetics can shed light on eating disorders and suicides as they are found in the main core of such investigations. In the present study, an analysis has been performed on two specific members of the GPCR family toward drawing conclusions regarding their functionality and implementation in mental disorders. Specifically, evolutionary and structural studies on the adrenoceptor alpha 2b (ADRA2B) and the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1A (HTR1A) have been carried out. Both receptors are classified in the biogenic amine receptors sub-cluster of the GPCRs and have been connected in many studies with mental diseases and malnutrition conditions. The major goal of this study is the investigation of conserved motifs among biogenic amine receptors that play an important role in this family signaling pathway, through an updated evolutionary analysis and the correlation of this information with the structural features of the HTR1A and ADRA2B. Furthermore, the structural comparison of ADRA2B, HTR1A, and other members of GPCRs related to mental disorders is performed.

Suicide Among Women and the Role of Women's Health Care Providers

Importance

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, with increasing rates among women. Women are more likely to experience suicidal ideation and engage in suicide behavior than men, and risk is elevated at key points where they may engage in care with a women's health care provider.

Objective

This review describes the prevalence of and risk factors for suicide among women and highlights the role of obstetrician-gynecologists in suicide prevention.

Evidence Acquisition

A PubMed, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO search was completed for English-language publications about suicide among women, including subtopics (eg, perinatal suicide, suicide during perimenopause).

Results

There are overlapping risk factors that contribute to suicide among women, including intimate partner violence and substance use. Specific groups of women may present with unique risk factors, such as women veterans, women in rural areas, and women with preexisting mental health diagnoses, particularly serious mental illnesses. Some women at risk for suicide are not seen in clinical settings, and thus community interventions may be beneficial. There are roles for obstetrician-gynecologists within and outside of the clinic to prevent suicide.

Conclusions and Relevance

Obstetrician-gynecologists can save lives by being aware of the prevalence of suicide ideation and behavior among women, understanding risk factors for suicide over the lifespan, regularly screening for these factors, asking directly about suicide ideation and intent, and being aware of clinical and community resources. Outside of the clinic, they can advocate for increased health care access and community-based interventions. These efforts can contribute to the reduction of preventable death and maternal mortality.

Associations between COVID-19 mobility restrictions and economic, mental health, and suicide-related concerns in the US using cellular phone GPS and Google search volume data

During the COVID-19 pandemic, US populations have experienced elevated rates of financial and psychological distress that could lead to increases in suicide rates. Rapid ongoing mental health monitoring is critical for early intervention, especially in regions most affected by the pandemic, yet traditional surveillance data are available only after long lags. Novel information on real-time population isolation and concerns stemming from the pandemic's social and economic impacts, via cellular mobility tracking and online search data, are potentially important interim surveillance resources. Using these measures, we employed transfer function model time-series analyses to estimate associations between daily mobility indicators (proportion of cellular devices completely at home and time spent at home) and Google Health Trends search volumes for terms pertaining to economic stress, mental health, and suicide during 2020 and 2021 both nationally and in New York City. During the first pandemic wave in early-spring 2020, over 50% of devices remained completely at home and searches for economic stressors exceeded 60,000 per 10 million. We found large concurrent associations across analyses between declining mobility and increasing searches for economic stressor terms (national proportion of devices at home: cross-correlation coefficient (CC) = 0.6 (p-value <0.001)). Nationally, we also found strong associations between declining mobility and increasing mental health and suicide-related searches (time at home: mood/anxiety CC = 0.53 (<0.001), social stressor CC = 0.51 (<0.001), suicide seeking CC = 0.37 (0.006)). Our findings suggest that pandemic-related isolation coincided with acute economic distress and may be a risk factor for poor mental health and suicidal behavior. These emergent relationships warrant ongoing attention and causal assessment given the potential for long-term psychological impact and suicide death. As US populations continue to face stress, Google search data can be used to identify possible warning signs from real-time changes in distributions of population thought patterns.

Contributing factors to suicide: Political, social, cultural and economic

This review summarizes recent research in four environmental areas affecting risk of deaths by suicide. Politically, the weight of the evidence suggests that laws increasing social welfare expenditures and other policies assisting persons with low incomes (e.g., minimum wage) tend to lower suicide rates. Other legal changes such as those restricting firearms and alcohol availability can also prevent suicides. The social institutions of marriage, as well as parenting, continue to serve as protective factors against suicide, although the degree of protection is often gendered. Religiousness tends to be inversely associated with suicide deaths at the individual level of analysis, but the mediators need exploration to determine what accounts for the association: social support, better mental health, better physical health, less divorce, or other covariates. Cultural definitions of the traditional male role (e.g., breadwinner culture) continue to help explain the high male to female suicide ratio. New work on the "culture of suicide" shows promise. The degree of approval of suicide is sometimes the single most important factor in predicting suicide. At the individual level of analysis, two of the strongest predictors of suicide are economic ones: unemployment and low socio-economic status. Attention is drawn to enhancing the minimum wage as a policy known to lower state suicide rates. Limitations of research include model mis-specification, conflicting results especially when ecological data are employed, and a need for more research exploring moderators of established patterns such as that between religiousness and suicide.

Motivations for attempted suicide by women using drugs

Introduction: The scientific literature has pointed out an association between drug use and a higher risk of suicide in men and women. A gender focus is necessary to understand the intentions that women who have already attempted suicide attribute to this attitude because the way people act revelation has an intentional sense. Objective: To understand the reasons that lead women who use drugs to attempt suicide. Methods: Phenomenological study, developed in a Psychosocial Care Center for alcohol and drugs, with 12 female drug users. Data collection took place through phenomenological interviews, which were analyzed from the perspective of Alfred Schütz's Social Phenomenology. Results: The suicide attempt by women was motivated by depression due to situations of violence and conflicting relationships and the losses experienced in their lives. The reasons for the suicide attempt are linked to the women's life history and not only to the phenomenon of drug use. Conclusion: Thus, understanding the reasons and the women's life history made it possible to identify suicidal risk behavior and plan the actions of health professionals according to the health needs of these women.

COVID-19 and Suicide: A Deadly Association

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 hit the world amidst an unprecedented suicide epidemic in this century. As the world focuses on limiting the spread of the virus and prioritizing acutely medically ill patients, containment measures are not without mental health consequences. With rising anxiety and depression, risk of suicide-acutely and in the aftermath of the pandemic-also rises. This article aims to shed light on this major public health problem and better understand what factors may create or exacerbate psychiatric symptoms and suicide. We review suicide data predating the pandemic and examine impact of previous epidemics on suicide rates. We then focus on the current pandemic's impacts and the world's response to COVID-19. We examine how these may lead to increased suicide rates, focusing on the US population. Finally, we offer suggestions on mitigating interventions to curb the impending rise in suicide and the resultant increased burden on an already stretched health care system.

Suicide during COVID-19 and other major international respiratory outbreaks: A systematic review

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was recently declared a pandemic by the WHO. This outbreak threatens not only physical health but also has significant repercussions on mental health. In recent world history, major infectious outbreaks were associated with severe mental health sequelae, including suicide. In this study, we systematically review the literature on suicidal outcomes during major international respiratory outbreaks, including COVID-19. We reviewed descriptive and analytic articles addressing suicide during major international respiratory outbreaks. We searched PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, and PsycInfo databases and then utilized an independent method for study selection by a pair of reviewers. Two reviewers completed data abstraction and conducted a narrative summary of the findings. Our search generated 2,153 articles. Nine studies (three descriptive, five analytical, and one with mixed methodology) were eligible. The included studies were heterogeneous, divergent in methods, and with a low degree of evidence. Deducing an association between pandemics, suicide, and suicide-related outcomes remains thus poorly supported. Future research with better methodological characteristics, the use of longitudinal studies, and a focus on suicide as the primary outcome would allow for an in-depth understanding and formulation of the scope of this problem.

Deployment Experiences and Suicidal Behaviors Related to Interpersonal Violence Perpetration Among Army National Guard Soldiers

An issue of major policy interest in the U.S. military has been interpersonal violence (IPV), especially relative to the frequent and lengthy deployments of U.S. service members to Iraq and Afghanistan. Lacking, however, are estimates of perpetrators of IPV, in particular, for reservists who have been 30% of the ground combat force. In the present study, Army National Guard soldiers (N = 4,567 in 50 company-sized units) responded to questions about deployment and combat, IPV, and suicidal behaviors. Over a tenth (12.2%) of the soldiers reported having done any aggressive behaviors toward significant others or children during postdeployment. More lengthy and repeated deployments were associated with perpetration of IPV. Having killed or wounded someone and having experienced some form of combat trauma were much more strongly associated with IPV perpetration. Suicidal behaviors were associated with having committed IPV, with the greatest risk associated with suicide attempts. Findings are discussed in terms of underlying mechanisms of both IPV perpetration and suicidal behaviors.

Screening for domestic abuse and its relationship with demographic variables among elderly individuals referred to primary health care centers of Shiraz in 2018

BACKGROUND

Elder abuse is an important public health problem. The present study was aimed to determine the rate of domestic abuse and its relationship with demographic characteristics among elderly people referred to Primary Health Care (PHC) centers in Shiraz, Iran, 2018.

METHODS

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 older people aged 60 years old and above who referred to 22 PHC centers of Shiraz. The data were collected using demographic characteristics questionnaire, Katz index, the domestic elder abuse questionnaire, and elder neglect checklist through face-to-face interview and observation methods. Backward linear regression model was used for analyzing the data.

RESULTS

The results indicated that 52.5% of the participants were female and 51.8% aged 60-69 years old. A total of 159 cases (39.8%) reflected at least one form of elder abuse or neglect. The results indicated that 21% of the participants (n = 84) were abused by their own children. Care neglect was the most reported form (42.8%), followed by psychological abuse (41.3%), emotional neglect (38.8%), and financial abuse (34.3%). The most common types of neglect were motion limitations (25%) followed by the dental problems (23.8%). The results also showed a significant relationship between domestic elder abuse and level of income (p = 0.017), having a house (p = 0.028), type of perpetrator (< 0.001), and insurance status (p = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

The results revealed a considerable rate of domestic abuse against elderly people, causing a serious risk for their health and security.

Suicidal Ideation and Attempt among Homeless People: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Globally, suicide is a major public health problem among homeless people. Suicidal ideation and attempt are remarkably higher among homeless people as compared to the general population and they are linked with greater risk of complete suicide. However, no systematic review and meta-analysis has been conducted to report the consolidated magnitude of suicidal ideation and attempt among homeless people. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Scopus to identify pertinent studies on suicidal ideation and attempt among homeless people. A meta-analysis of the studies was conducted using a random effect model. We also conducted a sensitivity analysis and Cochran's Q- and the I² test was employed to evaluate heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed by Egger's test and visual inspection of the symmetry in funnel plots. In total, 20 eligible studies with 27,497 homeless people matched the inclusion criteria. Nineteen studies assessed suicidal attempt and thirteen studies assessed suicidal ideation among homeless people. The pooled current and lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation was 17.83% (95% CI;10.73-28.14) and 41.60% (95% CI; 28.55-55.95), respectively whereas the pooled current and lifetime prevalence of suicidal attempt was 9.16% (95% CI;4.10-19.20) and 28.80% (95% CI; 21.66-37.18), respectively. We found a considerable heterogeneity between the studies, but we found no significant publication bias. The current review revealed a remarkably higher magnitude of suicidal ideation and attempt among homeless people as compared to the estimated prevalence in the general population. The concerned stakeholders need to give attention to address this problem emphasizing more on prevention and treatment strategies as well as utilizing holistic approaches to address the potential predictors of suicide among homeless people including physical, mental, and substance use problems.

Domains of common mental disorders in women reporting intimate partner violence

Objective

to verify associations between the types of intimate partner violence and the domains of common mental disorders in women.

Method

cross-sectional study with 369 women. The information was obtained through the instruments Self-Reporting Questionnaire and Conflict Tactic Scales. To analyze the data, Pearson’s Chi-Square test, Fisher’s exact test and Odds Ratio were used.

Results

women who reported physical abuse with and without sequela were respectively 2.58 and 3.7 times more likely to have symptoms of anxious depressed mood. The chances of experiencing symptoms of decreased vital energy increased by 2.27 times with psychological aggression, 3.06 times with physical abuse without sequelae and 3.13 times with physical abuse with sequelae. Somatic symptoms did not show statistical association with the types of violence. The propensity to develop symptoms of depressive thoughts increased 3.11 times with psychological aggression, 6.13 times with physical aggression without sequelae, 2.47 times with sexual coercion and 7.3 times with physical aggression with sequelae.

Conclusion

the types of intimate partner violence are strongly associated with the domains of common mental disorders in women. This finding may contribute to more accurate interventions by health professionals to women victims of violence.

Suicidal ideation among adolescents following natural disaster: The role of prior interpersonal violence

OBJECTIVE

The current study examined variables, including prior traumatic events, disaster exposure, and current mental health symptomatology, associated with suicidal ideation following experience of a natural disaster.

METHOD

Utilizing a sample of 2,000 adolescents exposed to the spring 2011 tornadoes in the areas surrounding Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Joplin, Missouri, we hypothesized that prior interpersonal violence (IPV), more so than other prior traumatic events or other symptoms, would be associated with suicidal ideation after the disaster.

RESULTS

Suicidal ideation was reported by approximately 5% of the sample. Results of binary logistic regression were consistent with hypotheses in that prior IPV exposure emerged as the variable most robustly related to presence of postdisaster suicidal ideation, even accounting for current symptoms (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder and depression). Moreover, neither prior accident nor prior natural disaster exposure was significantly associated with postdisaster suicidal ideation, suggesting that something specific to IPV may be conferring risk for suicidality. No other variables, including disaster exposure variables or demographic characteristics, emerged as significantly related.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that individuals who have a history of IPV may be particularly vulnerable following experience of additional traumatic events and that for suicide risk, the experience of prior IPV may be more relevant to consider in the aftermath of natural disasters beyond variables related to the index trauma or current symptomatology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Mental health, sexual identity, and interpersonal violence: Findings from the Australian longitudinal Women's health study

BACKGROUND

We examined the relationships among experiences of interpersonal violence, mental health, and sexual identity in a national sample of young adult women in Australia.

METHODS

We used existing data from the third (2003) wave of young adult women (aged 25-30) in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH). We conducted bivariate analyses and fit multiple and logistic regression models to test experiences of six types of interpersonal violence (physical abuse, severe physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, harassment, and being in a violent relationship), and the number of types of violence experienced, as predictors of mental health. We compared types and number of types of violence across sexual identity subgroups.

RESULTS

Experiences of interpersonal violence varied significantly by sexual identity. Controlling for demographic characteristics, compared to exclusively heterosexual women, mainly heterosexual and bisexual women were significantly more likely to report physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Mainly heterosexual and lesbian women were more likely to report severe physical abuse. Mainly heterosexual women were more than three times as likely to have been in a violent relationship in the past three years, and all three sexual minority subgroups were two to three times as likely to have experienced harassment. Bisexual women reported significantly higher levels of depression than any of the other sexual identity groups and scored lower on mental health than did exclusively heterosexual women. In linear regression models, interpersonal violence strongly predicted poorer mental health for lesbian and bisexual women. Notably, mental health indicators were similar for exclusively heterosexual and sexual minority women who did not report interpersonal violence. Experiencing multiple types of interpersonal violence was the strongest predictor of stress, anxiety and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Interpersonal violence is a key contributor to mental health disparities, especially among women who identify as mainly heterosexual or bisexual. More research is needed that examines within-group differences to determine which subgroups are at greatest risk for various types of interpersonal violence. Such information is critical to the development of effective prevention and intervention strategies.