Michael Anastario

Violence and Women's Health: an Analysis of Violence Victimization and Women's Mental and Reproductive Health in Two Internally Displaced Populations Michael Anastario

Mental and reproductive health consequences of violence victimization have been reported in various female populations, however these associations have not been tested among internally displaced persons (IDP¿s), who show elevated rates of psychiatric and reproductive health abnormalities. This dissertation examined associations between violence victimization, individual symptoms of depression, and simple reproductive health attributes using data from two samples of women: those displaced by the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricane season living in FEMA trailer parks in the United States, and those displaced by human conflict living in internal displacement camps in Darfur, Sudan (2005). This study demonstrates that there are clear associations between violence victimization and mental and reproductive health among female IDP¿s. The models developed in this study can be used to predict the prevalence of lifetime victimization in IDP populations where screening is not possible. The results may be useful to practitioners and researchers working with female IDP¿s when direct screening is not possible.