[01] Hussein H., Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [02] Al Faisal W., Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [03] Al Serkal F., Health Centers Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [04] El Sawaf E., Health Centers Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [05] Wasfy A., Statistics and Research Department, MoH, Dubai, UAE.

Background: violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. The term gender based violence has been defined as ‘‘acts or threats of acts intended to hurt or make women suffer physically, sexually or psychologically, and which affect women because they are women or affect women disproportionally. Objectives: To study mental health related consequences of domestic violence among Dubai women population and the extent to which intimate partner violence is associated with a range of health outcomes. Methodology: A cross sectional study on 700 Emirati women selected randomly from Primary health care centers by systematic random sampling using Epi-info epidemiological software. All ever-married women aged 15-49 years and seeking medical care in PHC at Dubai. A structured standardized interview questionnaire was utilized as data collection tool. Results: 19% of women not exposed to violence reported current symptoms of emotional distress compared to approximately 72%, 68.9%, and 70% in those exposed to sever physical, combination of physical and sexual, and combination of three types of violence respectively. Similarly percentage of women who are not exposed to violence and reported suicidal thoughts in their lifetime 7.2% are low compare to those exposed to sever physical violence 44.1%, physical and sexual violence 31.9%, and those exposed to the all three types of violence 32.3%. Moreover percentage of women reported exposure to sever physical violence and had suicidal attempts were high (27%) compare to women not exposed to violence and had suicidal attempts (2.9%). Another high percentage of women with suicidal attempts seen in those exposed to combination of physical and sexual violence (23%) and those exposed to the three types of violence 22.3%. Conclusion: A high percentage of women exposed to different types of violence had mental health effects. There are Significant associations between lifetime experiences of physical or sexual violence, or psychological, or a combination of any types by a male intimate partner, and a wide range of self-reported mental health problems in women. The vast majority of violence occurs in lifetime, thus the health effect of violence might last long after the actual violence has ended and become chronic.

Mental Health Consequences, Domestic Violence, Dubai

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