Connecting the dots of heart disease, poor mental health, and abuse to understand gender disparities and promote women's health: a prospective cohort analysis.
Heart disease, poor mental health, and abuse are epidemic among women worldwide. Our purpose was to identify a group of women with heart disease and explore the relationship between a history of abuse and existing symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and analyze the relationships over time. A prospective cohort analysis design with mental health measures repeated at 3 and 6 months postintake was followed. Abused women (n = 25) reported significantly more symptoms of depression (p = .004) and PTSD (p = .003) compared with nonabused women (n = 14). To promote global mental health among women with heart disease, interventions must address a history of abuse.
McFarlane
Judith
J
Department of Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, College of Nursing, Texas Woman's University, Houston, Texas, USA. jmcfarlane@twu.edu
Symes
Lene
L
Frazier
Lorraine
L
McGlory
Gayle
G
Henderson-Everhardus
Maria C
MC
Watson
Kathy
K
Liu
Yan
Y
D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology