HMN 2025: What are the lasting mental health impacts of domestic violence

A new study has found that women who experienced physical abuse in the context of domestic violence are more likely to suffer from long-term mental health challenges, even decades after the abuse has ended.

Approximately 30% of women worldwide will experience intimate partner violence—commonly referred to as domestic violence—in their lifetime. Often this will involve physical abuse, including risk of traumatic brain injury. Nevertheless, despite the prevalence of domestic violence and associated brain injuries, there has been little research into its potential long-lasting effects on brain health.

To address this, The Drake IPV Study, led by Professor Willie Stewart, Honorary Professor at the University of Glasgow, explored the mental health consequences associated with domestic violence and traumatic brain injury. The results are published in BMJ Mental Health.

Working with data from the multi-center PREVENT Dementia Study, the researchers found that 14% of 632 study participants, who were aged 40- 59-years-old at recruitment, reported a history of domestic violence with physical abuse. Compared with unexposed participants, a history of domestic violence was associated with higher traumatic brain injury exposure, alongside higher lifetime and ongoing diagnoses of mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and PTSD.

Notably, the risk of ongoing midlife mental health disorders remained despite the exposure to domestic violence having ceased, on average, 27 years before assessment. A history of traumatic brain injury in those with exposure to domestic violence was also associated with an increased risk of ongoing PTSD symptoms and concurrent mental health disorders.

Professor Stewart said, “Given its prevalence, these findings highlight domestic violence as a public health issue with the potential for long-lasting impacts on brain health. Our work also reinforces the need for more research in this previously neglected area.”

Dr. Graciela Muniz-Terrera, a co-author on the study commented, “This study highlights the importance of including questions about domestic violence in population research to advance our knowledge about its long-term effects.”