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Meta-Analysis
. 2012 Sep;75(6):959-75.
doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.04.025. Epub 2012 May 21.

Intimate partner violence against adult women and its association with major depressive disorder, depressive symptoms and postpartum depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Hind A Beydoun  1 , May A Beydoun, Jay S Kaufman, Bruce Lo, Alan B Zonderman
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Intimate partner violence against adult women and its association with major depressive disorder, depressive symptoms and postpartum depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Hind A Beydoun et al. Soc Sci Med. 2012 Sep.

Abstract

To date, few systematic reviews of observational studies have been conducted to comprehensively evaluate the co-morbidity of intimate partner violence (IPV) and specific depression outcomes in women. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we summarize the extant literature and estimate the magnitude of the association between IPV and key depressive outcomes (elevated depressive symptoms, diagnosed major depressive disorder and postpartum depression). PubMed (January 1, 1980-December 31, 2010) searches of English-language observational studies were conducted. Most of the selected 37 studies had cross-sectional population-based designs, focused on elevated depressive symptoms and were conducted in the United States. Most studies suggested moderate or strong positive associations between IPV and depression. Our meta-analysis suggested two to three-fold increased risk of major depressive disorder and 1.5-2-fold increased risk of elevated depressive symptoms and postpartum depression among women exposed to intimate partner violence relative to non-exposed women. A sizable proportion (9%-28%) of major depressive disorder, elevated depressive symptoms, and postpartum depression can be attributed to lifetime exposure to IPV. In an effort to reduce the burden of depression, continued research is recommended for evaluating IPV preventive strategies.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of Study Selection for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Figure 2
Figure 2
A. Forest plot for associations between intimate partner violence and major depressive disorder, cross-sectional studies (N=9 datapoints; 4 studies) B. Forest plot for associations between intimate partner violence vs. elevated depressive symptoms, cross-sectional studies (N=45 datapoints; 22 studies) C. Forest plot for association between intimate partner violence and postpartum depression, cross-sectional studies (N=17 datapoints; 6 studies)
Figure 2
Figure 2
A. Forest plot for associations between intimate partner violence and major depressive disorder, cross-sectional studies (N=9 datapoints; 4 studies) B. Forest plot for associations between intimate partner violence vs. elevated depressive symptoms, cross-sectional studies (N=45 datapoints; 22 studies) C. Forest plot for association between intimate partner violence and postpartum depression, cross-sectional studies (N=17 datapoints; 6 studies)
Figure 2
Figure 2
A. Forest plot for associations between intimate partner violence and major depressive disorder, cross-sectional studies (N=9 datapoints; 4 studies) B. Forest plot for associations between intimate partner violence vs. elevated depressive symptoms, cross-sectional studies (N=45 datapoints; 22 studies) C. Forest plot for association between intimate partner violence and postpartum depression, cross-sectional studies (N=17 datapoints; 6 studies)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot for associations between intimate partner violence and depression (all outcomes), cohort studies (N=9 datapoints; 5 studies)
Figure 4
Figure 4
Population Attributable Risk (PAR) for intimate partner violence vs. Depression (all outcomes; cross-sectional and cohort studies combined)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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