title: Intimate partner violence and its association with maternal depressive symptoms 6-8 months after childbirth in rural Bangladesh.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV), a gross violation of human rights, ranges widely across the world with higher prevalence reported in low- and middle-income countries. Evidence related mainly to physical health shows that IPV has both direct and indirect impacts on women's health. Little is known about the impact of IPV on the mental health of women, particularly after childbirth.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence of IPV experienced by women 6-8 months after childbirth in rural Bangladesh and the factors associated with physical IPV. The study also aims to investigate the association between IPV and maternal depressive symptoms after childbirth.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used cross-sectional data at 6-8 months postpartum. The sample included 660 mothers of newborn children. IPV was assessed by physical, emotional, and sexual violence. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale assessed maternal depressive symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of physical IPV was 52%, sexual 65%, and emotional 84%. The husband's education (OR: 0.41, CI: 0.23-0.73), a poor relationship with the husband (OR: 2.64, CI: 1.07-6.54), and emotional violence by spouse (OR: 1.58, CI: 1.35-1.83) were significantly associated with physical IPV experienced by women. The perception of a fussy and difficult child (OR: 1.05, CI: 1.02-1.08), a poor relationship with the husband (OR: 4.95, CI: 2.55-9.62), and the experience of physical IPV (OR: 2.83, CI: 1.72-4.64) were found to be significant predictors of maternal depressive symptoms among women 6-8 months after childbirth. Neither forced sex nor emotional violence by an intimate partner was found to be significantly associated with maternal depressive symptoms 6-8 months postpartum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to screen for both IPV and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum. Since IPV and spousal relationships are the most important predictors of maternal depressive symptoms in this study, couple-focused interventions at the community level are suggested.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; zarina.kabir@ki.se.
authors.forename: Zarina N
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Kabir
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hashima-E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Nasreen
authors.affiliation: Formerly Research and Evaluation Division, BRAC, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Maigun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Edhborg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Bangladesh; South Asia; intimate partner violence; maternal depression; mental health