Assessment of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress of Women in Domestic Violence Shelters in Kurdistan-Iraq: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of domestic violence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress with some socio-demographic characteristics among women who have sought sanctuary in domestic violence shelters. Materials and Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional design, employing different sampling methods to recruit a total of 46 participants. A convenience sampling method was used for the study group, while purposive sampling was employed for the control group. The primary data collection tool was a standardized questionnaire consisting of three validated scales: the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42). Results: The independent t-test analysis reveals highly significant differences between both groups (P≤0.001). The multivariate analysis has revealed significant differences among occupations in stress (P≤0.05), and significant differences were found in Relationship with family for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress (P≤0.001). Conclusions: Psychiatric disorders among domestic violence victims are very common, and the assessment of psychiatric disorders in domestic violence shelters is often overlooked or completely neglected. Physical, psychological, and verbal abuse are dominant types of violence suffered by shelter residents.