Prevalence of Mental Distress and Its Predictors Among Adult Women Attending Court After Experiencing Gender-Based Violence: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Conclusion: The prevalence of mental distress among women who experienced GBV and attended the courts of the Hadiya Zone was high. Place of residence, concern about food insecurity, family history of mental illness, ever khat use, and having a husband who marries another wife were found to have statistically significant associations with mental distress among women who experienced GBV and attended the courts of the Hadiya Zone. Women need to be assessed regularly for GBV during health care visits. Regular counseling, facilitating, and adhering to different GBV coping mechanisms during the waiting time is imperative to overcome this problem.