Cumulative lifetime violence severity, social determinants and anxiety in a national sample of Canadian men
Abstract Background Despite anxiety disorders being the ninth leading cause of disability and associated with social inequities, little attention has been given to how intersections among social determinants of health and chronic stressors such as cumulative lifetime violence affect the likelihood o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03865-8 |
| _version_ | 1811302215177994240 |
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| author | Kelly Scott-Storey Sue O’Donnell David Busolo Enrico DiTommaso Jeannie Malcolm Petrea Taylor Charlene D. Vincent Judith Wuest |
| author_facet | Kelly Scott-Storey Sue O’Donnell David Busolo Enrico DiTommaso Jeannie Malcolm Petrea Taylor Charlene D. Vincent Judith Wuest |
| author_sort | Kelly Scott-Storey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Despite anxiety disorders being the ninth leading cause of disability and associated with social inequities, little attention has been given to how intersections among social determinants of health and chronic stressors such as cumulative lifetime violence affect the likelihood of experiencing anxiety disorders. Our purpose was to explore the relationships among cumulative lifetime violence severity as target and perpetrator, social determinants of health and generalized anxiety disorder in Canadian men. Methods Using a community sample of 592 Canadian men who self-identified as having experienced violence, we developed and tested an evidence-based model of generalized anxiety disorder including indicators of cumulative lifetime violence, gender, social location, socio-economic disparity, personal resources and other chronic stressors using logistic regression. Results Most men (76.4%, n = 452) reported experiences as both target and perpetrator. The model accounted for 50.8% of the variance in anxiety severity χ2 (8) = 264.43, p = .000). The prevalence of probable generalized anxiety disorder was 30.9%, a rate higher than that found among Canadian men in general in the same period. Remarkably, the likelihood of generalized anxiety disorder increased by a factor of 5.30 for each increase of 1 in cumulative lifetime violence severity, and six-fold for feeling overwhelmed by demands of everyday life (aOR = 6.26). Masculine discrepancy stress, having been born in Canada, unemployment, and food insecurity also contributed significantly to increasing the likelihood of generalized anxiety disorder. Both social support and mastery had significant aORs < 1, suggesting possible protective effects. Together these findings delineate characteristics and social determinants that may heighten vulnerability to generalized anxiety disorder and influence its progression among men who have experienced lifetime violence. Conclusions These findings are the first evidence that Canadian men with lifetime violence histories are a sub-group disproportionately affected by chronic stressors and socio-economic disparities and that together the presence and/or severity of these factors increases their vulnerability to generalized anxiety disorder. Our results highlight the importance of strengths-based trauma- and violence-informed approaches to care, including practical resources to reduce the stress of everyday life, improve social support, and reinforce personal control and choice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:24:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cdf97d818e74430aa085585123e9ff87 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:24:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-cdf97d818e74430aa085585123e9ff872022-12-22T02:56:32ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2022-04-0122111410.1186/s12888-022-03865-8Cumulative lifetime violence severity, social determinants and anxiety in a national sample of Canadian menKelly Scott-Storey0Sue O’Donnell1David Busolo2Enrico DiTommaso3Jeannie Malcolm4Petrea Taylor5Charlene D. Vincent6Judith Wuest7Faculty of Nursing, University of New BrunswickFaculty of Nursing, University of New BrunswickFaculty of Nursing, University of New BrunswickDepartment of Psychology, University of New BrunswickFaculty of Nursing, University of New BrunswickFaculty of Nursing, University of New BrunswickFaculty of Nursing, University of New BrunswickFaculty of Nursing, University of New BrunswickAbstract Background Despite anxiety disorders being the ninth leading cause of disability and associated with social inequities, little attention has been given to how intersections among social determinants of health and chronic stressors such as cumulative lifetime violence affect the likelihood of experiencing anxiety disorders. Our purpose was to explore the relationships among cumulative lifetime violence severity as target and perpetrator, social determinants of health and generalized anxiety disorder in Canadian men. Methods Using a community sample of 592 Canadian men who self-identified as having experienced violence, we developed and tested an evidence-based model of generalized anxiety disorder including indicators of cumulative lifetime violence, gender, social location, socio-economic disparity, personal resources and other chronic stressors using logistic regression. Results Most men (76.4%, n = 452) reported experiences as both target and perpetrator. The model accounted for 50.8% of the variance in anxiety severity χ2 (8) = 264.43, p = .000). The prevalence of probable generalized anxiety disorder was 30.9%, a rate higher than that found among Canadian men in general in the same period. Remarkably, the likelihood of generalized anxiety disorder increased by a factor of 5.30 for each increase of 1 in cumulative lifetime violence severity, and six-fold for feeling overwhelmed by demands of everyday life (aOR = 6.26). Masculine discrepancy stress, having been born in Canada, unemployment, and food insecurity also contributed significantly to increasing the likelihood of generalized anxiety disorder. Both social support and mastery had significant aORs < 1, suggesting possible protective effects. Together these findings delineate characteristics and social determinants that may heighten vulnerability to generalized anxiety disorder and influence its progression among men who have experienced lifetime violence. Conclusions These findings are the first evidence that Canadian men with lifetime violence histories are a sub-group disproportionately affected by chronic stressors and socio-economic disparities and that together the presence and/or severity of these factors increases their vulnerability to generalized anxiety disorder. Our results highlight the importance of strengths-based trauma- and violence-informed approaches to care, including practical resources to reduce the stress of everyday life, improve social support, and reinforce personal control and choice.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03865-8AnxietyCumulative lifetime violenceMenGenderSocio-economic disparitySocial determinants |
| spellingShingle | Kelly Scott-Storey Sue O’Donnell David Busolo Enrico DiTommaso Jeannie Malcolm Petrea Taylor Charlene D. Vincent Judith Wuest Cumulative lifetime violence severity, social determinants and anxiety in a national sample of Canadian men BMC Psychiatry Anxiety Cumulative lifetime violence Men Gender Socio-economic disparity Social determinants |
| title | Cumulative lifetime violence severity, social determinants and anxiety in a national sample of Canadian men |
| title_full | Cumulative lifetime violence severity, social determinants and anxiety in a national sample of Canadian men |
| title_fullStr | Cumulative lifetime violence severity, social determinants and anxiety in a national sample of Canadian men |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cumulative lifetime violence severity, social determinants and anxiety in a national sample of Canadian men |
| title_short | Cumulative lifetime violence severity, social determinants and anxiety in a national sample of Canadian men |
| title_sort | cumulative lifetime violence severity social determinants and anxiety in a national sample of canadian men |
| topic | Anxiety Cumulative lifetime violence Men Gender Socio-economic disparity Social determinants |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03865-8 |
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