Are alcohol problems linked with an increase in depressive symptoms in abused, inner-city African American women?
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.


METHODS
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.
Paranjape
Anuradha
A
Division of General Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. aparanj@emory.edu
Heron
Sheryl
S
Thompson
Martie
M
Bethea
Kafi
K
Wallace
Triphinia
T
Kaslow
Nadine
N
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D018585:Battered Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*