Association between sexual violence and psychiatric morbidity among HIV positive women in South Africa.
This study examined the association between rape and psychiatric morbidity among recently diagnosed HIV-infected women in South-Africa. One hundred and five women attending an out-patient infectious disease clinic of the Department of Internal Medicine, Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South-Africa participated in the study. Full medical as well as socio-demographic histories were obtained for each patient. Psychiatric morbidity was assessed with the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Life-time prevalence of rape among the women was 4.8%. A significant relationship was found between rape and (i) drug dependence (X2 = 40.77, P < 0.00), (ii) alcohol dependence (X2 = 14.37, P < 0.01), (iii) post traumatic stress disorder (X2 = 8.91, P < 0.02), and (iv) major depression (X2 = 4.57, P < 0.05). Women who were raped were more likely to be younger (t = 2.86, P < 0.05), Afrikaans-speaking (X2 = 7.39, P < 0.02), and unemployed (X2 = 6.42, P < 0.04). HIV positive women with a history of having been raped may experience a number of psychiatric disorders. As part of the comprehensive medical care of HIV, it is important that health workers assess past sexual abuse and current psychiatric symptoms.
Olley
B O
BO
MRC Unit on Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa.
Abrahams
N
N
Stein
D J
DJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D011902:Rape / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012742:Sex Offenses; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*