Psychological violence against women practiced by intimate partners: a cross-sectional study in a rural area of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 2017.

Objective: To estimate prevalence and factors associated with intimate partner psychological violence against women in a rural area in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in 2017.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional population-based study with women aged 18-49 years old and who had had an intimate partner in their lifetime. Questions from the World Health Organization Violence Against Women Study were administered. Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

Results: 971 women participated. Prevalence of lifetime psychological violence was 17.2% (95%CI 14.9;19.7). Those diagnosed with depression (PR=2.23 - 95%CI 1.70;2.91) and who had consumed alcohol in the last week were more likely to refer lifetime psychological violence (PR=1.53 - 95%CI 1.07;2.17). Single women were more likely to experience psychological violence than married women (PR=1.86 - 95%CI 1.32;2.63).

Conclusion: Psychological violence against woman in rural areas was related to mental health and alcohol use.