Citation

Paranjape A, Heron SL, Thompson M, Bethea K, Wallace T, Kaslow N. Womens Health Issues 2007; 17(1): 37-43.

Affiliation

Division of General Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.whi.2006.08.004

PMID

17321946

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Little is known regarding the link between intimate partner violence (IPV), alcohol problems (AP), and depression in inner-city African American women. We sought to investigate whether abused inner-city African American women reporting AP endorsed more depressive symptoms compared to women reporting either AP or IPV or reporting neither. METHOD: Participants for this cross-sectional study were 361 African American women seeking medical care at a large public hospital. Measurements included the Index of Spouse Abuse, Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, and the Brief Symptom Index-Depression Subscale to assess IPV, AP, and depressive symptoms, respectively. Based on IPV and AP status, participants were assigned to one of four non-hierarchical risk groups: (i) low or no IPV, no AP; (ii) high IPV alone; (iii) AP alone; or (iv) both high IPV and AP. Additive effect of high levels of IPV and AP on outcome were assessed using logistic regression techniques. RESULTS: Thirty percent reported high IPV levels, and 18% had AP. Compared with participants reporting both no AP and low or no IPV, those reporting either high IPV levels or AP reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms 4 times more often (p < .001). Women reporting high IPV and AP endorsed moderate to severe depressive symptoms 8 times more often than women reporting neither (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Among inner-city, African American women, depressive symptoms are highest among those reporting both high IPV levels and AP. Health care systems serving similar communities should implement a systematic approach to identifying IPV, AP, and depression in patients.

Language: en