Prevalence of violence exposure in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder in comparison with other gynecological patients and asymptomatic controls

• Objective. The aim of the present study was to estimate prevalence rates of physical,emotional and sexual abuse in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder(PMDD) in comparison with gynecological outpatients and asymptomatic healthycontrol subjects. Design. Cross-sectional study. Settings. Departments of obstetricsand gynecology in three different Swedish hospitals. Population. Fifty-eightwomen meeting strict criteria for PMDD, a control group of 102 women seekingcare at the gynecological outpatient clinic (ObGyn controls) and 47 asymptomatichealthy control subjects were included in this study. Methods. The Swedish versionof the Abuse Assessment Screen was used to collect information on physical andsexual abuse, and the screening instrument was administered as a face-to-face interview.Main Outcome Measures. Previous and ongoing physical and sexual abuse.Results. Any lifetime abuse (physical, emotional or sexual) was reported by 31.0%of PMDD patients, by 39.2% of ObGyn controls and by 21.3% of healthy controls.The ObGyn controls reported physical and/or emotional abuse significantly moreoften than PMDD patients as well as healthy controls (p<0.05). Lifetime sexualabuse was reported significantly more often by ObGyn controls than by healthycontrols (p<0.05). Conclusions. Patients with PMDD appear not to have sufferedphysical, emotional or sexual abuse to a greater extent than other gynecologicalpatients or healthy control subjects. However, exposure to violence was common inall groups of interviewed women, and for the individual patient these experiencesmay contribute to their experience of symptoms.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reproduktionsmedicin och gynekologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

physical abuse

emotional abuse

sexual abuse

premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Obstetrics and women's diseases

Obstetrik och kvinnosjukdomar

Medical Science

Medicinsk vetenskap

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)