Type D Personality is Unrelated to Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Treated by Intracoronary Stenting

Background

Previous research in cardiac patients suggested that type D personality, defined as a combination of negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI), was associated with adverse outcome.

Purpose

The objective of this prospective study was to examine the independent prognostic value of type D in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

A total of 465 patients completed the Type D Scale (DS14) questionnaire before undergoing stent implantation and were followed up for 5 years.

Results

In a Cox regression model adjusted for selected confounders, we found a trend towards NA for the prediction of nonfatal major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE, hazard ratio (HR)?=?1.07, 95 % confidence intervals (CIs)?=?0.99?1.14, p?=?0.074), while, in contrast, SI was a significant and independent predictor of better outcome (HR?=?0.92, 95 % CI?=?0.86?0.99, p?=?0.027).

Conclusions

In a cohort of CAD patients, the type D pattern was not linked to adverse outcome, whereas SI was negatively associated with MACE.     

Maternal smoking during pregnancy and neural tube defects in offspring: a meta-analysis

Purpose

This study aims to examine the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and neural tube defects (NTDs) in offspring.

Methods

We retrieved published studies on the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and NTDs risk in offspring. Meta-analysis was applied to calculate the overall odds ratios (ORs) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). The publication bias was assessed by the Egger’s regression asymmetry test and Begg’s rank correlation test.

Results

The overall effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on NTDs was 1.03 (OR?=?1.03, 95 % CI?=?0.80–1.33). When subgroup analysis was conducted by geographic regions, the overall effects were 1.39 (OR?=?1.39, 95 % CI?=?1.18–1.64), 0.88 (OR?=?0.88, 95 % CI?=?0.66–1.17) in Europe and USA; when subgroup analysis was conducted by NTDs types, the overall effect was 1.55 (OR?=?1.55, 95 % CI?=?1.06–2.26) for spina bifida.

Conclusions

Women who smoked during pregnancy had mildly elevated risk of having infants with NTDs.     

Correlates of generalized anxiety disorder: independent of co-morbidity with depression

Background

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder with chronic symptoms and is commonly comorbid with depression.

Objectives

To identify correlates of GAD among adults and to describe treatment patterns and functional limitations among individuals with this disorder.

Methods

Data for 2,082 subjects aged ≥21 years from the first Israeli national health interview survey (INHIS-1) (2003–2004) were analyzed. Information on GAD was collected using the short form of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Data were also obtained on socio-demographic, physical health characteristics, history of life threatening events, treatment seeking behaviors, use of medication and functional impairment.

Results

The prevalence of GAD was highest among people aged 40–59 years, in those with asthma, hypertension and in those with osteoporosis. Regular exercise was associated with reduced prevalence for GAD (adjusted OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.22–0.95). The exclusion of individuals with major depression from analysis strengthened the association with age (adjusted OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.7, 19.7), weakened the association between GAD and osteoporosis (adjusted OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.2, 9.8), asthma (adjusted OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.2, 9.5) and regular exercise (adjusted OR 0.47 95% CI 0.2, 1.14). In this sub-sample, hypertension was no longer associated with GAD, and a significant association was found between GAD and past experience of life threatening events (adjusted OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1–4.9). Psychiatric and psychological consultations were low among people with GAD (11.5% and 26.4% for those without and with comorbid depression, respectively), concurrent with a high degree of functional limitation.

Conclusions

Middle age, history of traumatic life events, and certain chronic medical diseases (e.g., asthma and osteoporosis) are important risk factors for GAD. They could be used to help identify and treat people with GAD.     

Six-Month Outcomes from Living Well with Diabetes: A Randomized Trial of a Telephone-Delivered Weight Loss and Physical Activity Intervention to Improve Glycemic Control

Background

Intensive lifestyle intervention trials in type 2 diabetes contribute evidence on what can be achieved under optimal conditions, but are less informative for translation in applied settings.

Purpose

Living Well with Diabetes is a telephone-delivered weight loss intervention designed for real-world delivery.

Methods

This study is a randomized controlled trial of telephone counseling (n?=?151) versus usual care (n?=?151); 6-month primary outcomes of weight, physical activity, HbA1c; secondary diet outcomes; analysis was by adjusted generalized linear models.

Results

Relative to usual care, telephone counseling participants had small but significantly better weight loss [?1.12 % of initial body weight; 95 % confidence interval (CI) ?1.92, ?0.33 %]; physical activity [relative rate (RR)?=?1.30; 95 % CI, 1.08, 1.57]; energy intake reduction (?0.63 MJ/day; 95 % CI, ?1.01, ?0.25); and diet quality (3.72 points; 95 % CI, 1.77, 5.68), with no intervention effect for HbA1c (RR?=?0.99; 95 % CI, 0.96, 1.01).

Conclusions

Results are discussed in light of challenges to intervention delivery.     

Maternal flu or fever,medications use in the first trimester and the risk for neural tube defects: a hospital-based case–control study in China

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the effects of maternal flu or fever, and medications (antibiotics and antipyretics) use in the first trimester on neural tube defects (NTDs) risk in offspring.

Methods

Data came from a hospital-based case–control study conducted between 2006 and 2008 in Shandong/Shanxi provinces including 459 mothers with NTD-affected births and 459 mothers without NTD-affected births. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the effects of maternal flu, fever, and medications use on NTD risk. The effects were evaluated by adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) with SAS9.1.3.software.

Results

NTDs risks were significantly associated with maternal flu or fever (OR?=?2.63, 95 % CI?=?1.64–4.23) and antipyretics use (OR?=?3.38, 95 % CI?=?1.68–6.79), but not with antibiotics use (OR?=?1.82, 95 % CI?=?0.85–3.93). The risk effect of antipyretics use on anencephaly (OR?=?7.81, 95 % CI?=?1.96–31.13) was markedly higher than on spina bifida (OR?=?3.02, 95 % CI?=?1.08–8.42). Maternal flu or fever together with antipyretics use showed a higher OR for total NTDs (3.27 vs.1.87), anencephaly (7.38 vs.2.08), and spina bifida (2.97 vs.2.07) than maternal flu or fever with no antipyretics use.

Conclusions

Maternal flu or fever and antipyretics use in the first trimester were risk for NTDs. Maternal flu or fever together with antipyretics use increased NTD risk than only maternal flu or fever.     

Foster care, residential care and public care placement patterns are associated with adult life trajectories: population-based cohort study

Objectives

Childhood experiences of public care may be associated with adult psychosocial outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of four public care exposures: type of placement, length of placement, age at admission to care and number of placements, as well as the reasons for admission to public care with emotional and behavioural traits at age 30?years.

Methods

Participants included 10,895 respondents at the age 30 survey of the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) who were not adopted and whose care history was known. Analyses were adjusted for individual, parental and family characteristics in childhood.

Results

Cohort members with a public care experience presented lower childhood family socio-economic status compared with those in the no public care group. After adjusting for confounding, exposure to both foster and residential care, longer placements and multiple placements were associated with more extensive adult emotional and behavioural difficulties. Specifically, residential care was associated with increased risk of adult criminal convictions (OR?=?3.09, 95% CI: 2.10–4.55) and depression (1.81, 1.23–2.68). Multiple placements were associated with low self-efficacy in adulthood (OR?=?3.57, 95% CI: 2.29, 5.56). Admission to care after the age of 10 was associated with increased adult criminal convictions (OR?=?6.03, 95% CI: 3.34–10.90) and smoking (OR?=?3.32, 95% CI: 1.97–5.58).

Conclusion

Adult outcomes of childhood public care reflect differences in children’s experience of public care. Older age at admission, multiple care placements and residential care may be associated with worse outcomes.     

Factors Associated with Discontinuation of Bupropion and Counseling Among African American Light Smokers in a Randomized Clinical Trial

Background

African Americans are at risk of inadequate adherence to smoking cessation treatment, yet little is known about what leads to treatment discontinuation.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors associated with discontinuation of treatment in African American light smokers (≤10 cigarettes per day).

Methods

Bupropion plasma levels and counseling attendance were measured among 540 African American light smokers in a placebo-controlled randomized trial of bupropion.

Results

By week 3, 28.0 % of subjects in the bupropion arm had discontinued bupropion, and only moderate associations were found between the plasma levels and self-reported bupropion use (r _s?=?0.38). By week 16, 36.9 % of all subjects had discontinued counseling. Males had greater odds of discontinuing medication (OR?=?2.02, 95% CI?=?1.10–3.71, p?=?0.02), and older adults had lower odds of discontinuing counseling (OR?=?0.96, 95% CI?=?0.94–0.97, p?<?0.0001).

Conclusions

Bupropion and smoking cessation counseling are underutilized even when provided within the context of a randomized trial. Future research is needed to examine strategies for improving treatment utilization among African American smokers. Trial Registration No. NCT00666978 (www.clinicaltrials.gov).     

Interpersonal and institutional ethnic discrimination,and mental health in a random sample of Palestinian minority men smokers in Israel

Purpose

We sought to extend research into the health effects of discrimination to a non-Western context. We examined the associations between interpersonal and institutional ethnic discrimination, and anxiety and depression among Palestinian–Arab minority men citizens of Israel.

Methods

We used data from a nationwide stratified random sample of 964 Arab men in Israel, current or former smokers (age 18–64), who were interviewed as part of a 2012–2013 study on cessation. The questionnaire included an adapted Arabic version of the Experiences of Discrimination scale and a new scale on perceived institutional group discrimination. Logistic regression models estimated the effects of both forms of discrimination on depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), while adjusting for socio-demographic and economic factors.

Results

The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 24.7% and anxiety 45.5%. Approximately 42% of men reported experiencing interpersonal discrimination, and 50.8% reported perceived institutional group discrimination. Controlling for covariates, experiencing interpersonal discrimination was associated with higher odds for depressive symptoms [OR?=?2.36, 95% confidence intervals (CI)?=?1.69–1.57] and anxiety (OR?=?1.92, 95% CI?=?1.45–2.55). Perceived institutional group discrimination was associated only with anxiety (OR?=?1.76, 95% CI?=?1.32–2.35). Introducing both forms of discrimination into the same model slightly attenuated these associations.

Conclusions

Interpersonal and institutional forms of ethnic discrimination are independently associated with poorer mental health among Arab minority men current and former smokers in Israel. Future research is warranted into both forms of discrimination in the general Arab population in Israel, including women.

     

Medication Adherence Is Associated with Having a Caregiver Among Cardiac Patients

Background

Medication non-adherence is a significant contributor to suboptimal control of blood pressure and lipids.

Purpose

This study determined if having a paid and/or family caregiver was associated with medication adherence in patients hospitalized for cardiovascular disease.

Methods

Consecutive patients admitted to the cardiovascular service at a university medical center who completed a standardized questionnaire about medication adherence and caregiving (paid/professional or family member/friend) were included in this analysis (N?=?1,432; 63 % white; 63%male).

Results

Among cardiac patients, 39 % reported being prescribed ≥7 different medications, and one in four reported being non-adherent to their medication(s). Participants who reported having/planning to have a paid caregiver were 40 % less likely to be non-adherent to their medications compared to their counterparts. The association remained significant after adjustment for demographic confounders and comorbid conditions (OR?=?0.49; 95 %CI?=?0.29–0.82).

Conclusion

Cardiac patients with a paid caregiver were half as likely to be non-adherent to medications as those without caregivers.     

Deliberate self-harm among adolescent psychiatric outpatients in Singapore: prevalence,nature and risk factors

Background

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a prominent mental health concern among adolescents. Few studies have examined adolescent DSH in non-Western countries. This study examines the prevalence, types and associated risk factors of DSH in a clinical sample of adolescents in Singapore.

Methods

Using a retrospective review of medical records, demographic and clinical data were obtained from 398 consecutive adolescent psychiatric outpatients (mean age?=?17.5?±?1.4 years, range?=?13–19 years) who presented at Changi General Hospital from 2013 to 2015.

Results

23.1% (n?=?92) of adolescents engaged in at least one type of DSH. Cutting was the most common type of DSH reported. Females were three times more likely to engage in DSH than males. DSH was positively associated with female gender (odds ratio [OR] 5.03), depressive disorders (OR 2.45), alcohol use (OR 3.49) and forensic history (OR 3.66), but not with smoking behaviour, living arrangement, parental marital status, past abuse or family history of psychiatric illness.

Conclusion

Interventions targeting adolescent DSH should also alleviate depressive symptoms, alcohol use and delinquent behaviours.

     

Effects of Patient-Provider Race Concordance and Smoking Status on Lung Cancer Risk Perception Accuracy Among African-Americans

Background

Communication of lung cancer risk information between providers and African-American patients occurs in a context marked by race-based health disparities.

Purpose

A controlled experiment assessed whether perceived physician race influenced African-American patients’ (n?=?127) risk perception accuracy following the provision of objective lung cancer risk information.

Methods

Participants interacted with a virtual reality-based, simulated physician who provided personalized cancer risk information.

Results

Participants who interacted with a racially discordant virtual doctor were less accurate in their risk perceptions at post-test than those who interacted with a concordant virtual doctor, F(1,94)?=?4.02, p?=?.048. This effect was amplified among current smokers. Effects were not mediated by trust in the provider, engagement with the health care system, or attention during the encounter.

Conclusions

The current study demonstrates that African-American patients’ perceptions of a doctor’s race are sufficient to independently impact their processing of lung cancer risk information.     

The Influence of Informal Caregivers on Adherence in COPD Patients

Background

Contributions of informal caregivers to adherence among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients remain understudied.

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the association between caregiver presence and adherence to medical recommendations among COPD patients.

Methods

Three hundred and seventy-four COPD patients were asked whether they had a caregiver. Medication adherence was assessed using pharmacy refill data. Smoking status was based on patient self-report. One-way ANOVAs and chi-square analyses were performed controlling for age and number of illnesses.

Results

Compared with the ??no caregiver?? group, antihypertensive medications adherence was higher in the ??spousal caregiver?? (0.68 vs. 0.81; 95?% CI?=?0.04 and 0.22) and ??non-spousal caregiver?? (0.68 vs. 0.80; 95?% CI?=?0.03 and 0.22) groups; long-acting beta agonist adherence was higher in the ??spousal caregiver?? group (0.60 vs.0.80; 95?% CI?=?0.05 and 0.43). Patients in the ??spousal caregiver?? group had fewer current smokers compared with the ??no caregiver?? (?? ²?=?16.08; p?<?0.001) and ??non-spousal caregiver?? (?? ²?=?5.07; p?<?0.05) groups; those in the ??non-spousal caregiver?? group reported fewer smokers than the ??no caregiver?? group (?? ²?=?4.54; p?<?0.05).

Conclusions

Caregivers, especially spouses, may improve adherence in COPD. Future interventions may target patients without caregivers to optimize COPD management.     

Structural Stigma and Cigarette Smoking in a Prospective Cohort Study of Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Youth

Background

Sexual minority youth are more likely to smoke cigarettes than heterosexuals, but research into the determinants of these disparities is lacking.

Purpose

This study aimed to examine whether exposure to structural stigma predicts cigarette smoking in sexual minority youth.

Methods

Prospective data from adolescents participating in the Growing Up Today Study (2000–2005) were utilized.

Results

Among sexual minority youth, living in low structural stigma states (e.g., states with non-discrimination policies inclusive of sexual orientation) was associated with a lower risk of cigarette smoking after adjustment for individual-level risk factors (relative risk [RR]?=?0.97; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.96, 0.99; p?=?0.02). This association was marginally significant after additional controls for potential state-level confounders (RR?=?0.97; 95 % CI, 0.93, 1.00; p?=?0.06). In contrast, among heterosexual youth, structural stigma was not associated with past-year smoking rates, documenting specificity of these effects to sexual minority youth.

Conclusions

Structural stigma represents a potential risk factor for cigarette smoking among sexual minority adolescents.     

The association between depression and parental ethnic affiliation and socioeconomic status: a 27-year longitudinal US community study

Purpose

This study examined the extent to which parental SES and ethnic affiliation during adolescence are associated with Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores compatible with depression during adulthood.

Methods

The data were extracted from the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) conducted in 1979 on several ethnic groups (African-Americans, Hispanics and Others). These data included paternal socio-economic status (SES) when respondents (N = 8,331) were on average aged 18. The CES-D was re-administered 27?years later to assess the presence of depression.

Results

Adjusted for age, binary logistic regression modeling showed that parental low SES increased the risk of CES-D of scores compatible with depression across ethnic groups for both genders. A gradient was observed of an increased likelihood of depression scores with lower parental SES levels: among African-American respondents, depression scores were highest at the lowest parental SES levels (OR?=?3.25, 95% CI 2.19–4.84) and the risk dropped at medium (OR?=?3.00, 95% CI 1.96–4.59), and highest SES levels (OR?=?1.85, 95% CI 1.12–3.07). An analogous pattern was generally found for each ethnic group.

Conclusions

Low parental SES during adolescence significantly increases the likelihood of CES-D scores compatible with depression during adulthood across US ethnic groups and in both genders.     

Fear of negative evaluation is associated with delusional ideation in non-clinical population and patients with schizophrenia

Purpose

A number of recent studies suggest that delusions may be explained as a continuum from normal beliefs. Fear of negative evaluation from others (FNE) is one of potential factors that might describe this psychological process of delusions.

Methods

In order to examine whether FNE is associated with delusional ideation in both non-clinical population and patients with schizophrenia, two sets of data [from a non-clinical student sample (n?=?282) and from patients with schizophrenia (n?=?117)] were collected to examine whether Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE) score and the 21-item Peters Delusions Inventory (PDI-21) score were associated with each other. Linear regression analyses were carried out to assess if the BFNE score still remained associated with the PDI-21 scores once the confounding effects of depression were controlled.

Results

BFNE scores were significantly related to PDI-21 scores in both non-clinical [Pearson product?Cmoment correlation coefficient (r)?=?0.37, 95% confidence Interval (CI)?=?0.25?C0.48] and patient (r?=?0.33, 95% CI?=?0.14?C0.49) samples. These associations were still significant when confounding effects of depression were controlled. Standardised coefficients for the BFNE scores in the linear regression model were 0.21 in the student sample and 0.19 in the clinical sample.

Conclusions

FNE was associated with delusional ideation both in non-clinical population and in patients with schizophrenia. FNE might be a potential target for both pharmacological and psychological interventions for patients with delusions.     

The relation between obesity and depressed mood in a multi-ethnic population. The HELIUS study

Purpose

To examine the association between obesity and depressed mood in a large multi-ethnic population and check for consistency in this association across six ethnic groups.

Methods

Data of 21,030 persons (18–70 years) were sourced from the HELIUS study. Cross-sectional relationships between obesity measures [body mass index (kg/m²) and waist circumference (cm)] and depressed mood (PHQ-9 score?≥?10) were analysed. Consistency of associations was investigated across ethnic groups by interaction terms (ethnicity*obesity measures) in basic (age, sex, education) and fully (health behaviours and somatic health) adjusted models.

Results

Obesity was prevalent in all ethnic groups, but varied substantially. After sociodemographic adjustment, obesity measures were associated with increased odds of depressed mood but this was inconsistent across ethnic groups. Obesity (BMI?≥?30 or highest waist circumference quartile) was strongly and significantly associated with depressed mood in the Dutch [Odds Ratio (OR)?=?1.72; 95% Confidence intervals (CI) 1.24–2.40, and OR?=?1.86; 95% CI 1.38–2.50], respectively, and African Surinamese (OR?=?1.60; 95% CI 1.29–1.98 and OR?=?1.59; 95% CI 1.27–2.00, respectively) but had a weaker, non-significant association in other ethnic groups (South-Asian Surinamese, Ghanaian, Moroccan, Turkish groups). Adjustment for health behaviours and somatic health had limited effect on this pattern.

Conclusion

Obesity was associated with a higher risk of depressed mood. However, ethnic differences were found: the obesity-depressed mood association was strong in the Dutch and African Surinamese populations, but not in other ethnic groups. Future studies should explore whether differential normative values or pathophysiology across ethnic groups explain why the obesity-depression association is inconsistent across ethnic groups.

     

Community-level social capital,parental psychological distress,and child physical abuse: a multilevel mediation analysis

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between community-level social capital and physical abuse towards children, and the mediating effect of parental psychological distress by multilevel mediation analyses.

Methods

We analyzed data from a population-based study of first-grade elementary school children (6–7 years old) in Adachi City, Tokyo, Japan. The caregivers of first-grade students from all elementary schools in Adachi City (N?=?5355) were asked to respond to a questionnaire assessing parents’ self-reported physical abuse (beating and hitting) and neighborhood social capital. Among them, 4291 parents returned valid responses (response rate 80.1%). We performed multilevel analyses to determine the relationships between community-level parental social capital and physical abuse, and further multilevel mediation analyses were performed to determine whether parental psychological distress mediated the association.

Results

Low community-level social capital was positively associated with physical abuse (both beating and hitting) after adjustment for other individual covariates (beating: middle, OR?=?1.54, 95% CI 1.11–2.13; low, OR?=?1.33, 95% CI 0.94–1.88; and hitting: middle, OR?=?1.35, 95% CI 1.02–1.80; low, OR?=?1.16, 95% CI 0.86–1.57). Multilevel mediation analyses revealed that community-level parental psychological distress did not mediate the association (indirect effect ß?=?0.10, 95% CI ??0.10 to 0.29, p?=?0.34 for beating; ß?=?0.03, 95% CI ??0.16 to 0.23, p?=?0.74 for hitting).

Conclusions

Fostering community-level social capital might be important for developing a strategy to prevent child maltreatment, which may have a direct impact on abusive behavior towards children.

     

The longitudinal association between external locus of control,social cognition and adolescent psychopathology

Purpose

To investigate the longitudinal associations between social cognitive ability an external locus of control (externality) and adolescent psychopathology.

Methods

7058 participants from a prospective population-based cohort provided data on externality, social communication, and emotion perception between 7 and 16 years and psychotic experiences and depressive symptoms at 12 and 18 years. Bivariate probit modelling was used to investigate associations between these risk factors and psychopathological outcomes.

Results

Externality was associated with psychopathology at 12 (psychotic experiences OR 1.23 95% CI 1.14, 1.33; depression OR 1.12 95% CI 1.02, 1.22) and 18 years (psychotic experiences OR 1.38 95% CI 1.23, 1.55; depression OR 1.40 95% CI 1.28, 1.52). Poor social communication was associated with depression at both ages (12 years OR 1.22 95% CI 1.11, 1.34; 18 years OR 1.21 95% CI 1.10, 1.33) and marginally associated with psychotic experiences. There was marginal evidence of a larger association between externality and psychotic experiences at 12 years (p?=?0.06) and between social communication and depression at 12 years (p?=?0.03).

Conclusions

Externality was more strongly associated with psychotic experiences. At 18 years change in externality, between 8 and 16 years were associated with a larger increase in the risk of depression. Poor social communication was more strongly associated with depression.

     

Gender-based violence and mental disorders in female college students

Purpose

To assess the association between gender-based violence and DSM-IV Axis I disorders in female college students.

Methods

A stratified random sample of 1,043 college women (average age 22.2?years) participated in the study. We collected sociodemographic, socioeconomic and academic information as well as information on the participants’ experience of gender-based violence victimization. The presence of mental disorders during the 12?months preceding the study was assessed by clinically trained interviewers applying the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders-Clinician Version (SCID-CV).

Results

15.2% of the participants reported lifetime gender-based violence victimization. Almost two-thirds of the victims had suffered some Axis I disorder during the past year, a significantly larger proportion than among non-victims (OR?=?3.72; 95% CI 2.61–5.30). Mood disorders and anxiety disorders were both significantly more common among victims than non-victims (OR?=?4.26; 95% CI 2.81–6.46 and OR?=?1.97; 95% CI 1.20–3.24, respectively). The most prevalent individual disorder among victims was major depressive disorder (26.41%). Among victims of purely psychological violence, the overall rate of Axis I disorder was similar to the rate among other victims (67 and 61%, respectively).

Conclusions

Among female university students, the experience of physical or psychological gender-based violence is associated with mental disorder. These findings suggest the need for treatment and prevention interventions designed specifically for this population.