Connecting the dots of heart disease, poor mental health, and abuse to understand gender disparities and promote women's health: a prospective cohort analysis.

摘要

Heart disease, poor mental health, and abuse are epidemic among women worldwide. Our purpose was to identify a group of women with heart disease and explore the relationship between a history of abuse and existing symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and analyze the relationships over time. A prospective cohort analysis design with mental health measures repeated at 3 and 6 months postintake was followed. Abused women (n = 25) reported significantly more symptoms of depression (p = .004) and PTSD (p = .003) compared with nonabused women (n = 14). To promote global mental health among women with heart disease, interventions must address a history of abuse.