Intimate partner violence, depression, and PTSD among pregnant Latina women.
OBJECTIVE
We undertook a study to describe factors related to depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among pregnant Latinas who were or were not exposed to intimate partner violence.


METHODS
We interviewed 210 pregnant Latinas attending prenatal clinics located in Los Angeles, California. Latinas who did and did not have histories of intimate partner violence were recruited. We then assessed the women for strengths, adverse social behavioral circumstances, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression.


RESULTS
Significantly more women exposed to intimate partner violence scored at or above the cutoff point for depression than women who were not (41% vs 18.6%; P<.001). Significantly more women exposed to intimate partner violence scored at or above the cutoff point for PTSD than women who were not (16% vs 7.6%; P <.001). Lack of mastery, which measures feelings of being in control of forces that affect life (odds ratio [OR], 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-0.84), a history of trauma not associated with intimate partner violence (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.08-1.63), and exposure to intimate partner violence (OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.16-5.11) were associated with depression after adjusting for age, language of interview, and site effects. Stress (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.34-2.2) and a history of trauma (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.03-2.04) were independently associated with PTSD, whereas higher income was associated with decreased risk of PTSD (OR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.02-0.63), after adjusting for age, language of interview, and site effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Intimate partner violence was significantly associated with depression and PTSD but was associated with depression only after controlling for other factors in the multivariate model. The risk for depression declined with greater mastery but increased with a history of trauma or exposure to intimate partner violence. Stress, a history of trauma not associated with intimate partner violence, and lower income were all independently associated with increased risk for PTSD.
Rodriguez
Michael A
MA
Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. mrodriguez@mednet.ucla.edu
Heilemann
MarySue V
MV
Fielder
Eve
E
Ang
Alfonso
A
Nevarez
Faustina
F
Mangione
Carol M
CM
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016015:Logistic Models; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires