The Relationship between Domestic Violence and Addiction with Menopausal Women’s Experiences

Background aim: Domestic violence is a major public health concern that could cause long-term physical and mental health problems for women. Evidence indicates that addiction is among important issues resulting in violence against women. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between domestic violence and spousal addiction with experiences of menopausal women. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 250 menopausal women aged 45-65 years who referred to Mashhad health centers, Mashhad, Iran in 2017. The subjects were selected using multistage sampling. Data collection tools included the Menopausal Experiences Questionnaire and the Spouse Unhealthy Behavior Questionnaire (Violence, Addiction). Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient by SPSS Version 16. Results: The mean age of participants was 55.05± 5.72 years. The mean score of violence and addictive behaviors was 73.3% and 26.7%, respectively. Total score of menopausal experiences was 33.5 ± 18.11%. There was a significant direct relationship between the dimensions of violence and mental, physical, emotional as well as total score of menopausal experiences (p= 0.04, r= 0.139; p= 0.009, r = 0.177; p= 0.002, r= 0.211; p= 0.03, r= 0.147, respectively). Also, a significant direct relationship was seen between the sexual dimensions of violence and experiences of menopausal women (p = 0.002, r = 0.22) and addiction (p = 0.880, r = 0.01). Conclusion: Considering the relationships between husband s violence and physical, mental and emotional experiences of menopausal women, it is recommended to provide appropriate counseling and training programs for spouses to decrease violence and negative experiences of menopausal women.