Men who experience or perpetrate domestic violence are three times more likely to suffer mental health problems, new research has found.
A study found that men visiting their GP with symptoms of anxiety or depression had experienced or carried out some form of behaviour linked to domestic violence.
Researchers say the findings highlight the need for GPs to ask male patients with mental health problems about domestic abuse.
Led by Professor Marianne Hester and published in BMJ Open, researchers distributed a questionnaire across 16 GP practices in the South West.
The survey, completed by 1,368 men aged 18 and above, asked whether they had experienced or perpetrated any of four negative behaviours linked to domestic violence and abuse.
They include feeling frightened, physically hurt, forced sex, or having to ask permission from a partner.
The study found 22.7% experienced at least one of the four negative behaviours associated with domestic violence and abuse, while 16.9% reported perpetration of these behaviours at least once.
Researchers also found that men who used some form of negative behaviour towards their partners were three to five times more likely to report symptoms of anxiety than non-perpetrators.
The findings show there is a two to three times higher chance of men who present symptoms of anxiety and depression being victims or perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse.
Read more on the Western Morning News site: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Violent-men-times-likely-suffer-mental-health/story-26530200-detail/story.html#ixzz3dKE8i16t
What are your thoughts on this? Have you experience with domestic abuse or the health care system?
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