title: Major depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder comorbidity in female victims of intimate partner violence.
abstract: METHODS
  Victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) often develop psychiatric disorders. We examined the extent and correlates of comorbidity between two of the disorders most frequently linked to trauma--major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)--in a group of 44 women who were victims of IPV within the preceding 2 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MDD (68.2%) and PTSD (50.0%) were highly prevalent on a lifetime basis in female victims of IPV. On a current basis, MDD (18.2%) and IPV-related PTSD (31.8%) were more frequently comorbid (42.9% of cases of current IPV-related PTSD also had MDD) than would be expected by chance (P<0.001). Most cases of current MDD occurred in persons who also had current IPV-related PTSD. Severity of depressive and PTSD symptoms were highly correlated (r=0.84). Although women with PTSD were significantly more disabled than women without PTSD, persons with comorbid PTSD and MDD were not significantly more disabled than those with PTSD alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cross-sectional study; entry criteria for study may limit generalizability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTSD and MDD symptoms are frequently seen in the aftermath of IPV, and often co-occur. The usefulness of the distinction between PTSD and MDD in this context remains to be determined, both in terms of diagnostic classification and prognostic implications.
authors.affiliation: VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA. mstein@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology