Gender-based violence associated with lifetime risk of mental illness and disability, research shows

ScienceDaily (Aug. 2, 2011) — Women who experience gender-based violence such as rape, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and stalking have a higher lifetime prevalence of mental health disorders, dysfunction and disability, new Australian research shows.

The survey of 4,451 women aged 16 to 85 used international instruments developed by the World Health Organisation. Around 15 percent of Australian women report sexual assault, while eight percent report being raped. About eight percent report physical intimate partner violence and 10 percent stalking.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' National Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey (2007) were analysed by researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and published August 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study is the most comprehensive ever undertaken of gender-based violence in a nationally representative sample of women.

It shows the four most common types of gender-based violence are strongly associated with a wide range of problems for women including more severe current mental disorder, higher rates of three or more lifetime mental disorders, physical disability, mental disability, impaired quality of life, and overall disability.

"It was the strength of these associations that was most shocking," said study leader, Dr Susan Rees, from UNSW's School of Psychiatry. "There is an overwhelming link between gender violence and key indicators of women's mental health, wellbeing and risk of suicide attempts."

"For women exposed to two types of gender-based violence the lifetime rate of mental disorder was 69 percent and for three or more types of gender-based violence, it was 89.4 percent. This compares with a rate of 28 percent for women who have not experienced violence. The link with gender-based violence was particularly strong for posttraumatic stress disorder."

"This research highlights the need to ensure that expert mental health care is a central component of gender-based violence programs. Similarly, psychiatric services need to be better equipped to assist women with mental health disorders who have experienced such violence," Dr Rees said.

The work was supported by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of New South Wales, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

S. Rees, D. Silove, T. Chey, L. Ivancic, Z. Steel, M. Creamer, M. Teesson, R. Bryant, A. C. McFarlane, K. L. Mills, T. Slade, N. Carragher, M. O'Donnell, D. Forbes. Lifetime Prevalence of Gender-Based Violence in Women and the Relationship With Mental Disorders and Psychosocial Function. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2011; 306 (5): 513 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2011.1098

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here sciencedaily.com

Gender-based violence associated with lifetime risk of mental illness and disability, research shows

ScienceDaily (Aug. 2, 2011) — Women who experience gender-based violence such as rape, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and stalking have a higher lifetime prevalence of mental health disorders, dysfunction and disability, new Australian research shows.

The survey of 4,451 women aged 16 to 85 used international instruments developed by the World Health Organisation. Around 15 percent of Australian women report sexual assault, while eight percent report being raped. About eight percent report physical intimate partner violence and 10 percent stalking.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' National Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey (2007) were analysed by researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and published August 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study is the most comprehensive ever undertaken of gender-based violence in a nationally representative sample of women.

It shows the four most common types of gender-based violence are strongly associated with a wide range of problems for women including more severe current mental disorder, higher rates of three or more lifetime mental disorders, physical disability, mental disability, impaired quality of life, and overall disability.

"It was the strength of these associations that was most shocking," said study leader, Dr Susan Rees, from UNSW's School of Psychiatry. "There is an overwhelming link between gender violence and key indicators of women's mental health, wellbeing and risk of suicide attempts."

"For women exposed to two types of gender-based violence the lifetime rate of mental disorder was 69 percent and for three or more types of gender-based violence, it was 89.4 percent. This compares with a rate of 28 percent for women who have not experienced violence. The link with gender-based violence was particularly strong for posttraumatic stress disorder."

"This research highlights the need to ensure that expert mental health care is a central component of gender-based violence programs. Similarly, psychiatric services need to be better equipped to assist women with mental health disorders who have experienced such violence," Dr Rees said.

The work was supported by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of New South Wales, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

S. Rees, D. Silove, T. Chey, L. Ivancic, Z. Steel, M. Creamer, M. Teesson, R. Bryant, A. C. McFarlane, K. L. Mills, T. Slade, N. Carragher, M. O'Donnell, D. Forbes. Lifetime Prevalence of Gender-Based Violence in Women and the Relationship With Mental Disorders and Psychosocial Function. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2011; 306 (5): 513 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2011.1098

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here sciencedaily.com

Workplace mental health disability leave recurs sooner than physical health leave, CAMH study shows

ScienceDaily (June 29, 2011) — The recurrence of an employee's medical leave of absence from work tends to happen much sooner with a mental health leave than a physical one, a Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) study shows.

Most workers who take a mental health leave from their jobs do not have another disability leave for at least two years, according to a new study from CAMH. In contrast, most who have had a physical health disability leave have almost four years before a second episode.

Mental health disability leaves cost approximately $51 billion a year in Canada in health care and work disruption costs, and those with a previous episode are at higher risk of having another one.

"If we understand the timing of a repeated episode, as well as who is at risk of having a recurrence, we can develop more effective prevention programs to help people stay at work," says Dr. Carolyn Dewa, study lead and head of CAMH's Centre for Research on Employment and Workplace Health. The study was published in the June issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

For their study, Dr. Dewa and colleagues looked at the records of a Canadian company with 13,000 employees from 2003 to 2006. Among this group, 3,593 employees had one or more disability leaves during this period. An episode was at least five continuous days off work related to a medical diagnosis.

Among all workers, 72 per cent who had a disability leave were still at work after a year. Those who were more likely to have a second episode sooner included women, maintenance workers and those with disrupted marriages.

"It's important to be aware that although workers who have had one mental health disability leave are at risk of having a recurrence, it doesn't happen immediately," added Dr. Dewa. "These workers want to be back at work, but unfortunately, sometimes supports to help maintain their health are not available." It is important to do return-to-work planning to help employees transition back after a leave. Workplace resources can be very valuable in sustaining worker well-being and help them remain on the job longer.

It is a complex task to untangle the reasons why mental health disability leave recurs sooner than those for physical health. It is possible the workers in the study had not fully recovered when they returned, because some aspects of their illness were overlooked, the researchers point out.

"The workers' major symptoms may have subsided, but their ability to work may still be impaired due to memory loss or inability to focus," says Dr. Dewa. "The return-to-work forms that physicians fill out don't always ask about a person's functional abilities at work, just about medical symptoms. And workers may attribute symptoms such as memory loss or lack of focus to aging."

If a workers' ability to do their job is impaired, it could create resentment among their colleagues -- and there is growing evidence to suggest social support, both within and outside the workplace, is important to prevent psychiatric disorders. This may explain, for example, why those with disrupted marriages relapsed sooner. Past research also shows a link between low social support and depression in women.

Finding the right balance of providing social support without intruding too much or violating a person's privacy is challenging, but possible, says Dr. Dewa. "Occupational health staff can provide support or just check in with workers who have had a previous disability leave. People like it when you genuinely care about the answer to, 'How are you?'"

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here