MAIN RESEARCH ARTICLE

Prevalence of violence exposure in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder in comparison with other gynecological patients and asymptomatic controls

  1. BIRGITTA SEGEBLADH1,
  2. ELIN BANNBERS1,
  3. KRISTIINA KASK1,
  4. SIGRID NYBERG3,
  5. MARIE BIXO3,
  6. GUN HEIMER1,2,
  7. INGER SUNDSTRÖM-POROMAA1

Article first published online: 27 MAY 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0412.2011.01151.x

Issue

Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica

Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica

Volume 90, Issue 7, pages 746–752, July 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

SEGEBLADH, B., BANNBERS, E., KASK, K., NYBERG, S., BIXO, M., HEIMER, G. and SUNDSTRÖM-POROMAA, I. (2011), Prevalence of violence exposure in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder in comparison with other gynecological patients and asymptomatic controls. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 90: 746–752. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0412.2011.01151.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Women's and Children's Health

  2. 2

    National Centre for Knowledge on Men's Violence against Women, Uppsala University, Uppsala

  3. 3

    Department of Clinical Science, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

*Correspondence Birgitta Segebladh, Department of Women's and Children's Health, University Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. E-mail: birgitta.segeblad@lvn.se

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 10 JUN 2011
  2. Article first published online: 27 MAY 2011
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 18 APR 2011 06:48AM EST
  4. Received: 22 March 2011, Accepted: 5 April 2011

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Keywords:

  • Depression;
  • emotional abuse;
  • menstrual cycle;
  • physical abuse;
  • premenstrual dysphoric disorder;
  • sexual abuse

Abstract

Objective. The aim of the present study was to estimate prevalence rates of physical, emotional and sexual abuse in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in comparison with gynecological outpatients and asymptomatic healthy control subjects. Design. Cross-sectional study. Settings. Departments of obstetrics and gynecology in three different Swedish hospitals. Population. Fifty-eight women meeting strict criteria for PMDD, a control group of 102 women seeking care at the gynecological outpatient clinic (ObGyn controls) and 47 asymptomatic healthy control subjects were included in this study. Methods. The Swedish version of the Abuse Assessment Screen was used to collect information on physical and sexual abuse, and the screening instrument was administered as a face-to-face interview. Main Outcome Measures. Previous and ongoing physical and sexual abuse. Results. Any lifetime abuse (physical, emotional or sexual) was reported by 31.0% of PMDD patients, by 39.2% of ObGyn controls and by 21.3% of healthy controls. The ObGyn controls reported physical and/or emotional abuse significantly more often than PMDD patients as well as healthy controls (p<0.05). Lifetime sexual abuse was reported significantly more often by ObGyn controls than by healthy controls (p<0.05). Conclusions. Patients with PMDD appear not to have suffered physical, emotional or sexual abuse to a greater extent than other gynecological patients or healthy control subjects. However, exposure to violence was common in all groups of interviewed women, and for the individual patient these experiences may contribute to their experience of symptoms.

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