IMPACT OF GENDER VIOLENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH, AZUAY-CAÑAR

Introduction: Gender-based violence affects 30% of the global female population and undoubtedly has serious consequences on the mental health of those who experience it. Women present symptoms of post-traumatic stress, anxiety, fear, devaluation, low self-esteem, fear, and feelings of inadequacy, which can lead to the development of mental illnesses such as depression and suicide attempts. Objective: To identify the impact of gender violence on mental health (depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem and co-presence) in the provinces of Azuay and Cañar. Materials and methods: Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study with a sample of 610 participants attending a specialized institution for the care of women who experience violence, selected intentionally, by non-probabilistic sampling, with a confidence interval of 95%. The main results for the severity of violence show that 48.2% (294) suffer from severe/severe physical violence, 30.8% (188) experience moderate sexual violence and 14.3% (87) severe/severe sexual violence. Mild psychological violence shows a percentage of 30.8% (188); concerning the prevalence of psychological consequences are moderate depression 47.4%, mild 23.8%, severe 13%; anxiety with moderate severity 40.7%, mild severity 40.5%, moderate to severe severity 18.9%, moderate perceived stress 46.4%, severe stress 29%, low self-esteem 94.1%.