Prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among women with mental illness in the tertiary hospital setting

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health concern. It is one of the most common forms of interpersonal violence, with approximately 35% of women experiencing physical and sexual violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. Women with mental illness are a vulnerable risk group for IPV. The current study aims to assess the proportion of women with mental illness who experienced IPV, and to examine the association of socio-demographic variables, quality of life, and clinical correlates of women with mental illness experiencing IPV in Singapore.

255 participants with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia and related psychoses or depression disorders were recruited. Data on IPV were assessed on the World Health Organisation Violence Against Women (WHOVAW) scale, consisting of three domains- psychological, physical, and sexual IPV. Psychopathology was measured using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-18 items (BPRS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items (PHQ-9). The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) was used to assess subjective well-being. Data on socio-demographic characteristics were also obtained. Multivariable logistic regressions were used for analysis.

The mean age of the participants (n = 255) was 35.1 ± 11.9 years. Approximately half of the sample were diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 128, 50.2%). The proportion of women with mental illness who experienced IPV was 50.2%. Women with higher scores on the positive symptoms’ subscale in BPRS were more likely to experience overall violence against women (VAW) (OR = 1.03, P = 0.02), psychological (OR = 1.03, P = 0.03) and physical violence (OR = 1.04, P < 0.0001) compared to those with lower scores. Women who experienced psychological violence had significantly lower quality of life (QOL) in the social relationship domain (ꞵ=-2.42, P = 0.05) and environmental domain (ꞵ=-2.46, P = 0.01) compared to those who did not experience psychological violence, whereas women who experienced physical abuse were significantly associated with lower QOL in the physical domain (ꞵ=-1.91, P = 0.05) as compared to those not experiencing physical abuse.

The study highlights the high proportion of women with mental illness who experience IPV. Overall VAW scores, psychological and physical IPV were strongly associated with socio demographic variables and clinical risk factors. Exposure to violence also adversely affects multiple domains of QOL. The high proportion of IPV among this group of patients is concerning and mental health professionals should actively identify IPV and implement holistic interventions to ensure care of women with mental illness.

Not applicable.