Psychiatric morbidity and domestic violence: a survey of married women in Lahore

Objective A number of studies have looked at the prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders in the community in Pakistan over the last two decades. However, a very little information is available on psychiatric morbidity in primary health care. We therefore decided to measure prevalence of psychiatric disorders and their correlates among women from primary health care facilities in Lahore. Methods We interviewed 650 women in primary health care settings in Lahore. We used a semi-structured interview and questionnaires to collect information during face-to-face interviews. Results Nearly two-third of the women (64.3%) in our study were diagnosed to have a psychiatric problem, while one-third (30.4%) suffered with Major Depressive Disorder. Stressful life events, verbal violence and battering were positively correlated with psychiatric morbidity and social support, using reasoning to resolve conflicts and education were negatively correlated with psychiatric morbidity. Conclusion The prevalence of psychiatric disorders is in line with the prevalence figures found in community studies. Domestic violence is an important correlate which can be the focus of interventions.