NCJ Number
146631
Journal
Revue Canadienne de Sante Publique Volume: 84 Issue: 4 Dated: (July- August 1993) Pages: 245-249
Date Published
1993
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A survey was conducted in a community-based sample of wives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to determine the incidence and type of wife abuse in relation to mental health status.
Abstract
Information was gathered by means of telephone interviews with the 406 of 516 randomly selected women aged 18 or older who consented to take part. Results revealed incidence rates of 10.6 percent for physical abuse and 13.1 percent for psychological abuse. Nearly all the physically abused women were also psychologically abused. The wives at highest risk of abuse were those who separated from their husbands in the previous year; were aged 18-44 years; were in relatively new relationships; and had husbands who were unemployed, in school, or working part-time. The physically and psychologically abused wives had more physical complaints, higher levels of anxiety and insomnia, greater social dysfunction, and more symptoms of depression than did the nonabused wives. Alcoholism was associated with abuse in that 16.3 percent of the physically abused wives and 11.3 percent of the psychologically abused wives were alcohol- dependent, compared to 2.4 percent of nonabused wives. Tables and 38 references