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Depressive Symptoms Among Female College Students Experiencing Gender-Based Violence in Awassa, Ethiopia

University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine, mirt{at}u.washington.edu

Dodie Arnold

University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine

Michelle A. Williams

University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine

Miruts Goshu

Addis Ababa University

Yemane Berhane

Addis Ababa University

Little epidemiologic research has focused on the mental health effects of gender-based violence among sub-Saharan African women. The objective of this study was to assess risk of depression and depressive symptoms among 1,102 female undergraduate students who were victims of gender-based violence. Students who reported experience of any gender-based violence were nearly twice as likely to be classified as having moderate depression during the academic year (OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.39-2.82) as compared with nonabused students. Compared with nonabused students, those who had experienced both physical and sexual abuse were 4 times more likely to report either moderately severe (OR = 4.32, 95% CI = 2.00-9.31) or severe depressive symptoms (OR = 4.19, 95% CI = 1.01-17.43). Our findings, consistent with previous studies, support the thesis that women's mental health status is adversely affected by exposure to gender-based violence.

Key Words: gender-based violence • depressive symptoms • mental health • students • Ethiopia

This version was published on March 1, 2009

Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Vol. 24, No. 3, 464-481 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0886260508317173


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