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Mental health problems in women attending district-level services in South Africa

Anthony L Pillay1, Anita J Kriel

  • 1Department of Behavioural Medicine, Midlands Hospital and University of Kwazulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. h020870@dohho.kzntl.gov.za

Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|March 15, 2006
PubMed

Various sociodemographic and clinical variables pertaining to women using district-level clinical psychology services in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa were examined. During the year 2004, a total of 422 women accessed this service. Over one-third had relationship problems, 21% depression, and 14% suicidal behaviour. Nearly half the women reported significant financial problems. Of the 174 married (or cohabiting) women, 94.8% experienced relationship problems, 56.9% reported substance-abusing partners, and 48.3% reported violent partners, and 51.1% perceived their partners as disengaged while 37% viewed them as oppressive. Clinician estimates revealed notably low self-esteem in 65% of the women. We conclude that mental health services and training programmes need to become more cognisant of gender issues to develop gender-sensitive interventions.

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