RESUMO
Using a nationally representative sample from the 2008 Paraguayan National Survey of Demography and Sexual and Reproductive Health, we examine the association between emotional, physical, and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health among women aged 15-44 years who have ever been married or in a consensual union. The results from multivariate logistic regression models demonstrate that controlling for women's socioeconomic and marital status and history of childhood abuse and their male partners' unemployment and alcohol consumption, IPV is independently associated with an increased risk for common mental disorders (CMD) and suicidal ideation measured by the Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). IPV variables substantially improve the explanatory power of the models, particularly for suicidal ideation. Emotional abuse, regardless of when it occurred, is associated with the greatest increased risk for CMD whereas recent physical abuse is associated with the greatest increased risk for suicidal ideation. These findings suggest that efforts to identify women with mental health problems, particularly suicidal ideation, should include screening for the types and history of IPV victimization.
Assuntos
Mulheres Maltratadas/psicologia , Transtornos Mentais/epidemiologia , Maus-Tratos Conjugais/psicologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Feminino , Inquéritos Epidemiológicos , Humanos , Masculino , Saúde Mental , Paraguai/epidemiologia , Fatores de Risco , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Ideação Suicida , Adulto JovemRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between mental health problems among pregnant women and those in the postpartum period using a nationally representative sample of 6538 women aged 15-49 years from the National Survey of Demography and Sexual and Reproductive Health in Paraguay. METHODS: The predicted probabilities (PP) of common mental disorders (CMD) and suicidal ideation were assessed using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and logistic regression models. RESULTS: No evidence was found of an increased risk for mental health problems associated with being pregnant or in the postpartum period alone. The risk for CMD during pregnancy and the postpartum period and for suicidal ideation during pregnancy was significantly greater when the pregnancy was unintended. In addition, unintentionally pregnant women who had neither been in a union nor had a child were at a significantly higher risk for CMD and suicidal ideation compared with non-pregnant and non-postpartum women (PP: 0.54 versus 0.21 for CMD risk and 0.15 versus 0.02 for suicidal ideation). However, there were no significant differences by marital status among postpartum women. CONCLUSION: The significant effects of pregnancy intention and marital status highlight the importance of psychosocial, rather than physiological, contexts in which women experience pregnancy and childbirth.