[Prevalence of intimate partner violence and its impact on women's mental health in rural western China: a study of a county in Ningxia].
OBJECTIVE
To understand the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its impact on women's mental health in rural western China.


METHODS
Using the revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) and a questionnaire designed by the authors, a sample of 1 577 women was surveyed in a county in  Ningxia.


RESULTS
In the study, 24.6% of the women reported had suffered psychological aggression in the preceding year, with the prevalence rates of  minor and severe psychological aggression being 23.9% and 7.0% respectively; 5.5% of the women had suffered physical assault in the preceding year,  with the rates of minor and severe physical assault being 4.4% and 4.1% respectively. And 1.1% of the women reported had suffered sexual coercion in the  preceding year; 2.2% of the women reported received physical injuries as a result of IPV in the preceding year, with the rates of minor and severe physical  injury being 2.1% and 1.0% respectively. The lifetime prevalence of psychological aggression, physical assault, and sexual coercion was 30%, 16.3%, and  1.8% respectively. Among the women, 6.4% reported had been physically injured by IPV during their lifetime. Three aspects of women's mental health  were considered: mental health symptoms in the preceding month, suicidal ideation in the preceding year and self-reported mental health in the  preceding year. Linear regression and Logistic regression showed that, when age, family income and whether or not the woman's husband was a migrant  worker was taken in to account, IPV remained an important factor influencing women's mental health, with those who had suffered physical aggression or  physical assault reporting more mental health symptoms in the preceding month. The women who had suffered psychological aggression in the preceding  year were 3.98 times more likely to have had suicidal thoughts in the preceding year and 1.67 times more likely to report poor mental health than those who  had not suffered psychological aggression. The women who had suffered physical assault in the preceding year were 4.72 times more likely to have had  suicidal thoughts in the preceding year and 4.57 times more likely to report poor mental health than those who had not suffered physical assault. The study  also revealed that elderly women and those with very low family incomes were at high risk of having mental health problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Domestic  violence poses a severe threat to women's physical and mental health. In future, effective measures must be taken to reduce the prevalence of all forms of  IPV in rural areas, so as to protect women and improve their quality of life.
Department of Child, Adolescent and Women's Health, Peking University School of Public Health, Beijing, China. gaoyq@bjmu.edu.cn
Yan-qiu
YQ
Gao
Tamara
T
Jacka
D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires