IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i4p2896-d1060256.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Changes in Mental Health, Emotional Distress, and Substance Use Affecting Women Experiencing Violence and Their Service Providers during COVID-19 in a U.S. Southern State

Author

Listed:
  • April Schweinhart

    (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 4061 Powder Mill Road, Suite 350, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA)

  • Camila Aramburú

    (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 4061 Powder Mill Road, Suite 350, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA)

  • Rachel Bauer

    (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 4061 Powder Mill Road, Suite 350, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA)

  • Ashley Simons-Rudolph

    (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 4061 Powder Mill Road, Suite 350, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA)

  • Katharine Atwood

    (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 4061 Powder Mill Road, Suite 350, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA)

  • Winnie Kavulani Luseno

    (Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 4061 Powder Mill Road, Suite 350, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA)

Abstract

Research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed many unintended consequences of mandated safety precautions, including increased perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV), increases in substance use, and worsening mental health conditions. We conducted a repeated, cross-sectional survey of survivors of IPV, a longitudinal survey of service providers working in an IPV shelter, and interviews with both. We conducted surveys at the beginning of the pandemic and nearly half a year later to assess mental health and, for clients, substance use. Results showed that two small samples of survivors living in the shelter in 2020 and 2021 experienced both mental health decline and increased use of substances. Qualitative data from in-depth interviews suggest that COVID-19-related restrictions mirrored survivors’ experiences of power and control in violent relationships. Further, IPV service providers—essential workers during COVID-19—experienced stress associated with reports of burnout and mental fatigue. This study suggests that community-based organizations can help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on survivors of IPV but should avoid adding additional work for staff as service providers experienced mental and emotional stress.

Suggested Citation

  • April Schweinhart & Camila Aramburú & Rachel Bauer & Ashley Simons-Rudolph & Katharine Atwood & Winnie Kavulani Luseno, 2023. "Changes in Mental Health, Emotional Distress, and Substance Use Affecting Women Experiencing Violence and Their Service Providers during COVID-19 in a U.S. Southern State," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:2896-:d:1060256
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/2896/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/2896/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lin-Chi Hsu & Alexander Henke, 2021. "COVID-19, staying at home, and domestic violence," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 145-155, March.
    2. Miller, J. Jay & Niu, Chunling & Moody, Shannon, 2020. "Child welfare workers and peritraumatic distress: The impact of COVID-19," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    3. Ludermir, Ana Bernarda & Schraiber, Lilia B. & D'Oliveira, Ana F.P.L. & França-Junior, Ivan & Jansen, Henrica A., 2008. "Violence against women by their intimate partner and common mental disorders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(4), pages 1008-1018, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nashit Chowdhury & Ankit Kainth & Atobrhan Godlu & Honey Abigail Farinas & Saif Sikdar & Tanvir C. Turin, 2022. "Mental Health and Well-Being Needs among Non-Health Essential Workers during Recent Epidemics and Pandemics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-30, May.
    2. Michiko Nagashima-Hayashi & Anna Durrance-Bagale & Manar Marzouk & Mengieng Ung & Sze Tung Lam & Pearlyn Neo & Natasha Howard, 2022. "Gender-Based Violence in the Asia-Pacific Region during COVID-19: A Hidden Pandemic behind Closed Doors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-13, February.
    3. Shapan Chandra Majumder & Md. Hasanur Rahman & Nisat Akter Suci & Luckya Kabir, 2025. "Post Covid-19 economic and social impact on international migrant workers employment vulnerability: empirical evidence from Chittagong division, Bangladesh," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-27, February.
    4. Bansak, Cynthia & Grossbard, Shoshana & Wong, Ho-Po Crystal, 2022. "Mothers’ caregiving during COVID: The impact of marital property laws on women’s labor force status," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    5. Pitpitan, Eileen V. & Kalichman, Seth C. & Eaton, Lisa A. & Sikkema, Kathleen J. & Watt, Melissa H. & Skinner, Donald, 2012. "Gender-based violence and HIV sexual risk behavior: Alcohol use and mental health problems as mediators among women in drinking venues, Cape Town," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(8), pages 1417-1425.
    6. Carlos Díaz & Sebastian Fossati & Nicolás Trajtenberg, 2022. "Stay at home if you can: COVID‐19 stay‐at‐home guidelines and local crime," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), pages 1067-1113, December.
    7. Roman, Soraya & Aguiar-Palma, Marina & Machado, Cecilia, 2023. "A tale of two cities: Heterogeneous effects of COVID-19 quarantine on domestic violence in Brazil," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    8. Daniel Harding & Charlie F M Pitcairn & Daiane Borges Machado & Luis Fernando Silva Castro De Araujo & Christopher Millett & Thomas Hone, 2022. "Interpersonal violence and depression in Brazil: A cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 National Health Survey," PLOS Global Public Health, Public Library of Science, vol. 2(12), pages 1-16, December.
    9. Alexander Henke & Linchi Hsu, 2022. "COVID-19 and Domestic Violence: Economics or Isolation?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 296-309, June.
    10. Bansak, Cynthia & Grossbard, Shoshana & Wong, Crystal (Ho Po), 2021. "Mothers' Caregiving during COVID: The Impact of Divorce Laws and Homeownership on Women's Labor Force Status," IZA Discussion Papers 14408, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Juan F Domínguez D & Johnny Truong & Jake Burnett & Lata Satyen & Hamed Akhlaghi & Julian Stella & Nick Rushworth & Karen Caeyenberghs, 2022. "Effects of the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Assault-Related Head Injury in Melbourne: A Retrospective Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.
    12. Allison Shwachman Kaminaga & Hannah Sheldon, 2022. "Help or harm? The impact of property titling on women's acceptance of intimate partner violence," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(6), pages 1197-1212, August.
    13. Zhaohui Su & Ali Cheshmehzangi & Dean McDonnell & Hengcai Chen & Junaid Ahmad & Sabina Šegalo & Claudimar Pereira da Veiga, 2022. "Technology-Based Mental Health Interventions for Domestic Violence Victims Amid COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-11, April.
    14. Sonia Bhalotra & Emilia Brito & Damian Clarke & Pilar Larroulet & Francisco J. Pino, 2021. "Dynamic impacts of lockdown on domestic violence: Evidence from multiple policy shifts in Chile," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-189, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. Selin Köksal & Luca Maria Pesando & Valentina Rotondi & Ebru Şanlıtürk, 2022. "Harnessing the Potential of Google Searches for Understanding Dynamics of Intimate Partner Violence Before and After the COVID-19 Outbreak," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(3), pages 517-545, August.
    16. Kothari, Brianne H. & Chandler, Kelly D. & Waugh, Andrew & McElvaine, Kara K. & Jaramillo, Jamie & Lipscomb, Shannon, 2021. "Retention of child welfare caseworkers: The role of case severity and workplace resources," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    17. George Davis, 2021. "The many ways COVID-19 affects households: consumption, time, and health outcomes," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 281-289, June.
    18. Williams, Shanna & Bruer, Kaila C. & Evans, Angela D. & Price, Heather L., 2022. "The impact of COVID-19 on Canadian child maltreatment workers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    19. Miller, Amalia R. & Segal, Carmit & Spencer, Melissa K., 2022. "Effects of COVID‐19 shutdowns on domestic violence in US cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    20. Shinsuke Asakawa & Fumio Ohtake, 2021. "Impact of Temporary School Closure Due to COVID-19 on the Academic Achievement of Elementary School Students," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 21-14, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:2896-:d:1060256. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.