Study of Domestic Violence and Mental Health Outcomes Among Women in Imo State

Intimate partner violence is a significant public health problem in Nigeria with documented mental health consequences for affected women, yet its community-level prevalence and associated mental health burden in South East Nigeria are incompletely quantified. This study examined the prevalence of domestic violence and its association with mental health outcomes among women in Orlu LGA, Imo State, South East Nigeria. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 240 married women aged 18 to 49 years selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. Domestic violence was assessed using the WHO multicountry domestic violence instrument covering physical, sexual, and psychological violence. Mental health was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) for psychological distress. Results showed lifetime domestic violence prevalence of 51.7 percent (physical 38.3 percent, sexual 24.6 percent, psychological 46.3 percent). PHQ-9 depression was present in 29.6 percent of respondents, significantly higher among those reporting domestic violence (46.8 percent versus 11.4 percent; p < 0.001). Alcohol use by partners, economic hardship, and educational disparity were significantly associated with violence. Women who had experienced domestic violence had 4.2 times higher odds of moderate-to-severe depression after adjustment. The study recommends community-based gender-based violence screening at PHC facilities, integration of mental health support into domestic violence response, and community norm change programmes in Imo State. Keywords: domestic violence, mental health, depression, women, Imo State