The impact of women violence on depression among female medical students at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia

AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of domestic violence on depression among females’ students of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study conducted from 2019 to 2020. METHODS AND MATERIAL: An electronic questionnaire containing biographical data, 2(nd) edition of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and The NorVold Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ) was sent to the participants. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 with a statistical significance set at P < 0.05. Tests of significance measured using independent t test and Chi-square test. RESULTS: The study included 214 female medical students and 11 interns aged 18 to 26 with a mean of 20.66 ± 1.725 years. Most women (92.4%) were single, and the highest responders (30.2%) were second-year students. Based on The NorVold Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ), the prevalence of violence was 56.9%. The most common form of violence was emotional abuse (50.2%) and the highest combined types of abuse were emotional and physical abuse (14.7%). Based on BDI scale, the prevalence of depression amongst our sample was 32.9%; it was mild in 14.2%, moderate in 15.6% and severe in 3.1%. None of the types of abuse were significantly associated with depression. However, severe depression was highest amongst students/interns with history of emotional or sexual violence. CONCLUSION: More than half of the participants were subjected to domestic abuse throughout their lives. Emotional abuse was the commonest type followed by physical, sexual, and healthcare abuses, respectively. However, the present study demonstrated no significant association between abuse and depression.