Domestic Violence, Depressive And Anxiety Symptoms Among Pregnant Women - A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30834/Keywords:
Domestic violence, Pregnant Woman, Anxiety, Depression, Intimate Partner ViolenceAbstract
Background
Domestic violence (DV) is widespread across countries and cultures. DV can lead to various psychiatric problems in pregnant women. This study aims to assess the prevalence of domestic violence among pregnant women and to determine the anxiety and depression among them.
Materials and Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted by recruiting 232 pregnant women attending a tertiary care teaching hospital. Their socio-demographic and clinical parameters were recorded using a proforma. Domestic violence, depression, and anxiety were assessed using the Domestic Violence Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaires, respectively. Data were analyzed using Jamovi version 2.3.
Results
The prevalence of DV among pregnant women was estimated to be 11.2% (95% CI = 7.8% to 15.9%). Depressive symptoms were found in 63.8% (95% CI =57.4% to 69.7%) and anxiety symptoms in 63.3% (95% CI = 57.0% to 69.3%) of the study population. A significant association was observed between domestic violence and depression and anxiety (p < 0.001).
Conclusion
A significant proportion of pregnant women experience DV. Pregnant women who experience DV show significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety.
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References
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Copyright (c) 2026 Shafeequ Ahammed, Anithakumari Ayirolimeethal, Biju George (Author)
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