Relação entre violência doméstica e tentativa de suicídio entre as mulheres

Abstract

Introduction: Violence against women is a serious global public health issue. In Brazil, cases of domestic violence against women are high and increasing. This violence can lead to a range of mental disorders and conditions that favor suicidal behavior. Objectives: This research aimed to evaluate the relationship between a history of domestic violence perpetrated by intimate partners and suicidal behavior in women treated the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Methods: In this cross-sectional, quantitative, and analytical study, patients aged 18 years and older were interviewed using a sociodemographic questionnaire created for this research, as well as the following instruments: the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) to investigate domestic violence against women, the Psychological Pain Scale (Psychache Scale – PAS) to assess imminent suicide risk, and the suicidality module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview version 5.0 (MINI 5.0.) to investigate recent and past history of suicidal behavior (passive suicidal ideation active suicidal ideation suicide planning, and suicide attempt). Results: Fifty-one women were interviewed, with a median age of 57 years (range 18 to 85 years) and 8 years of education. The majority identified as non-white (78.4%), without a partner (51.0%), but with children (88.0%), although they were not economically active (76.5%). Almost half of the women reported a history of intimate partner violence (47.0%). Of these, 54.0% were in an intimate relationship at the time of the interview, but not necessarily with the abuse partner. Investigation into psychological pain identified that 53.0% of the interviewees had an imminent risk of suicide, which was associated with the presence, in the last 30 days, of passive suicidal ideation (p<0.01; odds ratio: 14.2; 95% CI 2.6 – 76.2) and self-harm ideation (p<0,01; odds ratio: 7.2; 95% CI 1.3 – 38.2), as well as with lifetime suicide attempt (p<0,05; odds ratio: 6.1; 95% CI 1.1 – 32.4). A history of violence against women by an intimate partner showed a weak correlation with suicidal behavior (rho: 0.3; p<0.05). Conclusions: This research identified high rates of imminent suicide risk and lifetime history of intimate partner violence among the interviewed women. It also identified a correlation between a history of domestic violence and the severity of suicidality in these women. This underscores the importance of public policies that contribute to the reduction of domestic violence, consequently aiding in the prevention of suicide among women.