Implications of Interpersonal Violence on Population Mental Health Status in a Low-Income Urban Community-Based Sample of Adults

Abstract

Research links interpersonal violence (IPV) perpetrated by a close personal contact, such as a family member or partner, to poor mental health; however, few studies assess associations by gender and explore the community-wide impacts of IPV on rates of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Using Sinai Community Health Survey (2015-2016), a face-to-face probability survey in 10 Chicago neighborhoods, we examined the association of a broad IPV measure, ever being emotionally or physically abused by a partner or someone important to you, with current depressive (DEPsym) or PTSD symptoms (PTSDsym), stratified by gender. After logistic regression model building, we used direct model-based standardization to calculate adjusted relative prevalence and population attributable prevalence fractions. Of 1,535 respondents, 8% of men and 15% of women had DEPsym; 15% and 20% had PTSDsym, respectively; and 12% and 26% ever experienced IPV, respectively. Controlling for confounders, men who experienced IPV had a 3.6 times (95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.5, 6.8]) higher prevalence of DEPsym and a 2.5 times (95% CI: [1.3, 4.9]) higher prevalence of PTSDsym. Women who experienced IPV had a 2.2 times (95% CI: [1.1, 3.9]) higher prevalence of DEPsym. If the association between IPV and mental health is causal, almost one in three cases of DEPsym (males: 31.7%; females: 27.3%) and one in five cases of PTSDsym (19.2%) among males may be attributed to IPV. Our findings underscore the need for a public health response to IPV and mental health, and additional research on evidence-driven practices that address this association among men and women.