[Dating violence and associations with depression and risk behaviors: female students in Morelos, Mexico].
OBJECTIVE
Determine the prevalence of dating violence and its association with depression and various risk behaviors in a sample of female students from the state of Morelos.


METHODS
This is a baseline cohort study of a sample of 13 293 students from 12 to 24 years of age who attended public schools in the state of Morelos during the 1998-1999 school year. The participants were selected from a random sample of 260 junior high schools, 92 high schools and one university. For the purpose of this analysis, a total of 4 587 female students who had a previous dating relationship were selected. To control for possible confounding variables, multiple logistic regression analysis was used.


RESULTS
The total prevalence of dating violence in females who attended public schools in Morelos was 28%. The following variables were associated with dating violence: depression (OR = 1.92; 95% CI 1.61-2.28); tobacco smoking (OR = 1.31; 95% CI 1.06-1.60); alcohol abuse (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.12-1.51); poor academic performance (low grades) (OR = 1.25; 95% CI 1.03-1.52); a history of sexual relations (OR = 1.52; 95% CI 1.26-1.82).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study clearly indicate that women experience partner violence beginning with dating during adolescence. Health and education professionals need to establish intervention strategies to prevent or treat dating violence among female students. Such strategies should take into account the association between depression and violence, as well as other related risk behaviors.
Rivera-Rivera
Leonor
L
Dirección de Salud Reproductiva, Centro de Investigaciones en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Allen
Betania
B
Rodríguez-Ortega
Graciela
G
Chávez-Ayala
Rubén
R
Lazcano-Ponce
Eduardo
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*