Global burden of major depressive disorders attributable to intimate partner violence against women: Magnitude, temporal trends, and regional inequalities.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: This study aimed to analyze the temporal trends, spatial heterogeneities, and potential improvements in the burden of major depressive disorders (MDD) attributable to intimate partner violence (IPV) against women across 21 global burden of disease (GBD) regions, and 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019. METHODS: We evaluated the burden of MDD attributable to IPV in women as measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100,000 people, across 20 age groups and GBD regions, countries, and territories, using data from the 2019 GBD Study. The average annual percent change (AAPC) of DALY age-standardized rates (ASRs) were used to reflect trends over time. LOESS and quantile regression were used to model the relationship between the five GBD sociodemographic index (SDI) categories and DALY ASRs. Frontier analysis determined the minimum achievable DALY ASR associated with developmental status, as measured by the SDI. RESULTS: Despite the overall global decline (AAPC -0.08 [95 % UI -0.2, 0.03]), certain GBD regions, particularly high-income North America and Central Latin America, have experienced increases in DALY ASRs. The relationship between SDI and MDD burden showed a U-shaped variability, with low-SDI regions consistently exhibiting higher and stable DALY rates. Frontier analysis revealed that several countries, regardless of their SDI, have substantial gaps between observed and potentially achievable DALY rates, indicating areas for targeted intervention to reduce the burden of MDD due to IPV. CONCLUSIONS: Significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity in MDD due to IPV occurred globally from 1990 to 2019, highlighting the substantial potential for improvement in various countries. Protective measures should be customized to suit the unique cultural contexts, developmental statuses, and regional disparities of each country.