The Symptoms of Depression as a Mental Health Outcome among Female Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Nairobi County, Kenya

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a problem faced across the world that impacts varied survivors differently and can affect mental health. The study sought to explore the prevalence of and relationship between the symptoms of depression and IPV among female survivors in Nairobi. A descriptive correlational research design was used to survey 204 female survivors of IPV, aged between 18 and 40 years. The study locations were centers that provide care for survivors of IPV. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the Composite Abuse Scale Revised – Short form (CASR) were used to collect quantitative data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. The odds ratio and t-test were both used to process the data. The results showed that the prevalence of depression among female IPV survivors stands at 68.6% for moderate to severe symptoms of depression. There is also a statistical association between psychological/ emotional abuse and depression (O.R. = 1.82, 95% CI 0.99; 3.33, p = 0.053), controlling behavior and depression (O.R. = 1.89, 95% CI 1.03; 3.47, p = 0.041) and all forms of abuse and depression (O.R. = 3.10, 95% C.I. 1.03; 9.36, p = 0.044). However, there was no significant statistical association between sexual abuse and depression, physical violence and depression, and between economic abuse and depression. There was a positive correlation between CAS and BDI (r=0.431, p<0.001). Thus, female survivors who experience psychological/ emotional abuse are subjected to controlling behaviors as well as those who encounter all forms of violence are more prone to depression as compared to those who experience other forms of IPV