Intimate partner violence and the dual burden of anxiety and depression among women in Zambia: Spatial inequalities and implications for the sustainable development goals.

This study evaluated the association between Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and mental health indicators, providing evidence to inform maternal health policy. This study used the first nationally representative cross-sectional data on mental health symptoms from the 2024 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS), including 13,951 women aged 15-49 years. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scales, with a score of ≥10 indicating the presence of symptoms. Stepwise, survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression was employed to examine the associations of mental health indicators and various dimensions of IPV, reporting adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Physical IPV was significantly associated with higher odds of Depression aOR= 3.89; 95% CI: 2.16-6.95; p < 0.001), while Emotional IPV was also associated with higher odds of Depression aOR = 3.50; 95% CI: 2.09-5.86; p < 0.001). Similarly, Any IPV was associated with substantial higher odds with Depression aOR = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.80-4.67, p < 0.001) and Anxiety aOR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.20-3.50, p = 0.008). These findings provide evidence-based, actionable insights for policymakers to integrate mental health and IPV prevention in high-burden provinces to meet the targets of SDG 3 and SDG 5.