Mental Health Services Inadequate For Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence

Mental Health Services Inadequate For Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence

Although frequent abused women suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or of spirits, they are not receiving needed mental health services, a University of Missouri researcher fix.

"More than half of the women participating in our study suffered from dole, PTSD or both illnesses," said Mansoo Yu, an assistant professor of social work in the College of Human Environmental Sciences. "However, ly of the survivors had not used intellectual health services in the past year, on the same level though they reported having access to the services. Social stigmas, disgrace, privacy concerns, health care costs and want of information may prevent survivors from getting the help they need."

Yu, who furthermore teaches courses in MU's Master of Public Health Program, qualified by study the rates of PTSD, depression and estate abuse among 50 female intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors and the types of services the women used. The majorship of IPV survivors had not used at all mental health services, but they reported regularly for the reason that their primary care physicians.

"Medical professionals are uniquely positioned to mask for mental health problems, such considered in the state of PTSD, depression and substance abuse disorders among IPV survivors and make appropriate referrals to other agencies or providers instead of treatment," Yu said. "Health providers take a part a critical role in intervening in the women's lives and potentially helping them end the slander."

Yu and his colleagues also studious other services IPV survivors used. The abused women in the study reported having concern accessing housing, legal services, crisis lines and healing care, all of which are services that grant to the women's safety.

"The overall percentage of office utilization is really low, but one time survivors use some type of benefit, they believe the service to have existence helpful," Yu said. "Abuse causes harm, and service providers and health professionals should strive to cessation abuse and the mental suffering that lingers in its rouse by connecting survivors with services."

The women in the study likewise reported rarely using shelters and difficulties obtaining the world housing, which makes it challenging to leave abusive relationships when the women accept nowhere to go, Yu said. In joining, the women were skeptical of principle enforcement professionals and legal services, what one also poses problems because survivors times need to use those services to toothed for divorces or procure orders of passport to keep them from abusers, Yu related.