Posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and hopelessness in women who are victims of sexual violence.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and hopelessness in women 1 and 6 months after they experienced sexual violence.


METHODS
This prospective study, in which the clinician-administered PTSD scale, the Beck depression inventory, and the Beck hopelessness scale were used, included 67 women at 1 month and 52 women at 6 months after they experienced sexual violence.


RESULTS
Overall, 77.6% of the women were ≤ 24years of age, and 52% were adolescents; 15% had a history of drug abuse, and 13.5% had a history of previous sexual violence. The aggressor was unknown in 76% of cases, and there was more than 1 aggressor in 9% of cases. In the first month, 43% of the women had moderate or very severe PTSD; 52.2% had moderate or severe depression; and 22.4% had moderate or severe hopelessness, which decreased to 21%, 20% and 10%, respectively, at 6 months. In the first month, severity of PTSD was associated with moderate or severe depression, and at 6 months severity of PTSD was associated with multiple aggressors and previous psychiatric disorders. All scores decreased in the sixth month.


CONCLUSIONS
Severe mental health disorders were still present 6 months after women had experienced sexual violence.
Gynecological Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
Carolina L
CL
Machado
Renata C S
RC
de Azevedo
Claudia O
CO
Facuri
Maria-José N
MJ
Vieira
Arlete-Maria S
AM
Fernandes
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult