Background: Domestic violence is an all-pervasive,
serious social malady with major public health
implications. Alcohol use is among the most
controversial and widely debated component in
conceptual and predictive model of domestic violence.
Objectives: a) Variation of Domestic violence
(Intimate partner violence) by background
characteristics, b) Prevalence of domestic violence
among spouses of inpatients at deaddiction centre, c)
To find characteristics, dimensions, severity of
domestic violence experienced by the partners & d)
To assess psychological status of both perpetrators
and victims.
Methods: Consecutive (n=100) alcohol dependent
patients admitted at a Tertiary care Centre of and
their spouses were recruited. These men were
assessed for severity of alcohol dependence, comorbidities
and psychopathology. Spouses assessed
for type, severity of domestic violence and its
consequences.
Results: Co-morbid psychiatric disorders found in
sixty two percent. 68% had medical co-morbidities.
Spouses who were physically abused (67%) also
experienced other forms of abuse at similar rates viz.,
Emotional abuse (63%), Economic abuse (52%), and
Sexual abuse (65%). Among women reporting
domestic violence 11% had attempted suicide. The
majority of those reporting domestic violence
exceeded cut-off scores for a depressive disorder.
Severity of violence correlated positively with Brief
Psychiatric Rating Scale (psychopathology) scores.
Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of
screening alcohol dependent patients for
psychopathology, spouse for domestic violence and its
sequelae, in mental health settings.