title: Domestic violence and mental health: a cross-sectional survey of women seeking help from domestic violence support services.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) are associated with an increased risk of mental illness, but we know little about the mental health of female DVA survivors seeking support from domestic violence services.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) are associated with an increased risk of mental illness, but we know little about the mental health of female DVA survivors seeking support from domestic violence services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline data on 260 women enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a psychological intervention for DVA survivors was analyzed. We report prevalence of and associations between mental health status and severity of abuse at the time of recruitment. We used logistic and normal regression models for binary and continuous outcomes, respectively. Mental health measures used were: Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment, and the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) to measure posttraumatic stress disorder. The Composite Abuse Scale (CAS) measured abuse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure to DVA was high, with a mean CAS score of 56 (SD 34). The mean CORE-OM score was 18 (SD 8) with 76% above the clinical threshold (95% confidence interval: 70-81%). Depression and anxiety levels were high, with means close to clinical thresholds, and all respondents recorded PTSD scores above the clinical threshold. Symptoms of mental illness increased stepwise with increasing severity of DVA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to DVA was high, with a mean CAS score of 56 (SD 34). The mean CORE-OM score was 18 (SD 8) with 76% above the clinical threshold (95% confidence interval: 70-81%). Depression and anxiety levels were high, with means close to clinical thresholds, and all respondents recorded PTSD scores above the clinical threshold. Symptoms of mental illness increased stepwise with increasing severity of DVA.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; giulia.ferrari@bristol.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Domestic Violence Training Ltd, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: Roxane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agnew-Davies
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Jayne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Howarth
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Tim J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Lynnmarie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sardinha
authors.affiliation: Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Gene
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feder
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: CORE-OM; advocacy; anxiety; depression; domestic violence and abuse; intimate partner violence; mental health; posttraumatic stress disorder; women