Victims of violence are 5 times more likely to need psychiatric hospitalization; study was carried out by Fiocruz Bahia and Harvard University
Children, adolescents and young people with low income, victims of violence, are 5 times more likely to need psychiatric hospitalization, according to a study carried out by Fiocruz Bahia in partnership with Harvard University. When only children are analyzed, the risk increases to 7 times. Hospitalization incidence rates also showed great disparity. Among young victims of interpersonal violence it was 80.1 per 100 thousand people per year, while among non-victims it was 11.67 per 100 thousand. 
The study used data from the Hospital Information System, referring to voluntary and non-voluntary hospitalizations, and also from the Notifiable Diseases Information System. In Brazil, since 2011, health services have been obliged to notify all cases of patients who have suffered physical violence – whether sexual or not – or psychological.
After analyzing data from more than 9 million low-income people, aged 5 to 24, between 2011 and 2019, the study identified around 5,800 who had already been hospitalized for a mental disorder, as a primary or secondary cause.
The researcher associated with the Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health at Fiocruz Bahia Lidiane Toledo said that in all age groups, prior registration of notification of violence was the main factor associated with the risk of psychiatric hospitalization.
“Young people with more unfavorable socioeconomic conditions also had a higher risk of psychiatric hospitalization.”
The researcher also highlights that although hospitalization offers important clinical support in serious cases, it is associated with risks of self-harm, suicide and readmissions, and also with losses in other areas of life, such as interruption of studies. Therefore, according to the researcher, the study advocates approaches focused on preventing violence in schools, communities and families, such as programs that teach positive and responsible parenting skills, and social skills that help children and adolescents deal with anger, resolve conflicts and face challenges.
The researcher also reinforces that interventions are necessary to break the cycle of poverty.
“Suffering violence is a major factor of psychological stress, particularly if we consider the first stages of life. Violence is associated not only with acute trauma, but also with negative repercussions, such as, for example, the deterioration of mental health throughout life. Therefore, it is extremely important not only to immediately welcome victims of violence, but also to provide long-term follow-up”, explains Lidiane.
With information from .
