TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2010//
TI  - Abuse and mental disorders among women at walk-in clinics in Trinidad: a cross-sectional study
JO  - BMC family practice
A1  - Maharaj, Rohan G.
A1  - Alexander, Colanne
A1  - Bridglal, Candace H.
A1  - Edwards, Aysha
A1  - Mohammed, Hassina
A1  - Rampaul, Teri-Ann
A1  - Sanchez, Sharlene
A1  - Tanwing, Gina P.
A1  - Thomas, Kristy
SP  - 26
EP  - 26
VL  - 11
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: To determine the prevalence of abuse by their partners and its association with mental disorders among female patients at walk-in clinics in Trinidad. <br><br>METHODS: Female participants from 16 randomly selected walk-in clinics, previously stratified to represent all administrative regions and urban and rural settings, who were 18 years or older, were surveyed during May to August 2007 using the WAST-Short and PRIME-MD questionnaires. <br><br>RESULTS: 432 women participated (a 92% response rate), Of these 16% were aged 20-29, 11.8% 30-39 and 19% 40-49; 37% were married, 25% single; 44.7% were Indo- and 35% Afro-Trinidadian; 67.8% had achieved education up to age 14 only. 30.3% were employed and 3.0% reported incomes more than $5,001 TTD (Trinidad and Tobago Dollars) per month. Forty percent (173) of all respondents were positive for abuse as scored by the WAST-Short scale. Chi-square analysis suggested associations (p < 0.05) between abuse and age, employment status, being in a current relationship, and having the desire to cut down on alcohol intake. Further there were associations between abuse and the presence of depression, suicidal ideation, post-traumatic stress disorder and somatization as determined by the PRIME-MD scale. Logistic regression showed that the statistically significant (p < 0.05) predictors of woman abuse were age less than 49, wanting to cut down on alcohol use and currently being in a relationship. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Among women of primarily lower socioeconomic status who attend walk-in clinics in Trinidad abuse as measured by the WAST-Short scale is high and there are statistically significant associations with mental disorders as determined by the PRIME-MD scale.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1471-2296
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2296-11-26
ID  - ref1
ER  -