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Physical abuse among depressed women
S H Scholle1, K M Rost, J M Golding
1University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Journal of General Internal Medicine
|October 1, 1998
Summary
Over half of depressed women experienced physical abuse, with recently abused women less likely to receive mental health care. Primary care screening is crucial for connecting abused, depressed women with needed professional help.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Women's Health
Background:
- Physical abuse is prevalent among women with depression.
- Understanding health service utilization is key for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- Estimate physical abuse prevalence in depressed women.
- Assess health service use among this population.
- Inform strategies for abuse detection and treatment.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 303 depressed women in Arkansas.
- Assessed physical abuse using the Conflict Tactics Scale.
- Evaluated health and mental health service utilization over one year.
Main Results:
- 55.2% of depressed women experienced adult physical abuse; 14.5% during the study year.
- Abused women had more severe depression, comorbidities, and physical illnesses.
- Recently abused women were less likely to receive mental health outpatient care (OR 0.3) but more likely to receive general health care (OR 5.7).
Conclusions:
- Depressed women experiencing abuse primarily seek general medical care, not mental health services.
- Primary care settings are vital for screening and identifying abused depressed women.
- Further research is needed to develop effective primary care screening guidelines.