Patterns of minor psychiatric disorders among battered women clients of emergency care units

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the ocorrence of patterns of minor psychiatric disorders among women who suffered several types of violence. Using a version of the Abuse Assessment Screen, face–to-face interviews were conducted in a cluster sample of women ages 15 to 49 years carried out in an emergency care hospital. The mental state of women was assessed with a version of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). Seventy-seven point three percent (Prevalence - P=77.3 % , 95 % confidence interval – CI= 78.2%, 82.2 %) out of total 273 women scored 7 or more on the SRQ-20, indicating the presence of psychiatric morbidity. The findings suggest that women who had experienced more than one type of violence (Prevalence Ratio – PR= 1.31, 95 % CI=1.11 – 1.56)  and who were battered in last twelve months (PR= 1.30, 95 % CI= 1.08 – 1.58) were more likely to suffer minnor mental disorders. The results show a positive association between violence and mental disease, suggesting the need for more effective measures in the care of victims, such as the creation of institutional nets that guarantee comprehensive care for women.