Violence and suicidal ideation in Brazilian women: The impact of perpetrator type and the moderating role of depression.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Suicidal ideation (SI) is a critical public health issue and a strong predictor of suicidal behavior. While the association between violence and SI is well documented, few studies have distinguished between the effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) and violence perpetrated by others. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of SI among Brazilian women and examine whether the association between SI and violence differs by perpetrator type, and whether depression moderates these associations.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 46,866 adult women who participated in the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey (PNS). SI was measured using item 9 of the PHQ-9. Violence was classified by type (psychological or physical/sexual) and perpetrator (IPV vs. non-IPV). Logistic regression models were used to examine associations between violence, depression, and SI, and to test for interaction effects.

RESULTS

The prevalence of SI was 6.2 %, and depression was present in 17.4 % of women. Exposure to any form of violence significantly increased the odds of SI. The interaction analysis showed that depression moderated the association between SI and both psychological IPV (OR = 0.44, p = 0.001) and physical/sexual violence (IPV and non-IPV). Women exposed to both violence and depression had the highest predicted probabilities of SI.

CONCLUSION

Violence-regardless of type or perpetrator-is strongly associated with suicidal ideation, especially in women with depression. Public health strategies must address both IPV and non-IPV violence and incorporate mental health screening and support to mitigate the risk of suicidality among women in Brazil.