Citation

Maharaj RG, Alexander C, Bridglal CH, Edwards A, Mohammed H, Rampaul TA, Sanchez S, Tanwing GP, Thomas K. BMC Fam. Pract. 2010; 11: 26.

Affiliation

The Unit of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St, Augustine, Trinidad. rohan.maharaj@sta.uwi.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/1471-2296-11-26

PMID

20353592

PMCID

PMC2858716

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To determine the prevalence of abuse by their partners and its association with mental disorders among female patients at walk-in clinics in Trinidad.

METHODS: Female participants from 16 randomly selected walk-in clinics, previously stratified to represent all administrative regions and urban and rural settings, who were 18 years or older, were surveyed during May to August 2007 using the WAST-Short and PRIME-MD questionnaires.

RESULTS: 432 women participated (a 92% response rate), Of these 16% were aged 20-29, 11.8% 30-39 and 19% 40-49; 37% were married, 25% single; 44.7% were Indo- and 35% Afro-Trinidadian; 67.8% had achieved education up to age 14 only. 30.3% were employed and 3.0% reported incomes more than $5,001 TTD (Trinidad and Tobago Dollars) per month. Forty percent (173) of all respondents were positive for abuse as scored by the WAST-Short scale. Chi-square analysis suggested associations (p < 0.05) between abuse and age, employment status, being in a current relationship, and having the desire to cut down on alcohol intake. Further there were associations between abuse and the presence of depression, suicidal ideation, post-traumatic stress disorder and somatization as determined by the PRIME-MD scale. Logistic regression showed that the statistically significant (p < 0.05) predictors of woman abuse were age less than 49, wanting to cut down on alcohol use and currently being in a relationship.

CONCLUSION: Among women of primarily lower socioeconomic status who attend walk-in clinics in Trinidad abuse as measured by the WAST-Short scale is high and there are statistically significant associations with mental disorders as determined by the PRIME-MD scale.

Language: en