Scars of conflict: trauma exposure, depression, and vulnerability in Kashmiri women Mehwish Imtiaz, Chahat Jamwal, Athiya Fahiem Khan, Mohammad Maqbool Dar Volume 3, Issue 2

https://www.academia.edu/journals/academia-mental-health-and-well-being/articles?source=journal-top-nav Abstract Introduction: In conflict-affected regions like Kashmir, women are frequently exposed to multiple traumatic events, increasing their risk for psychiatric disorders. Trauma is often underrecognized in clinical settings, limiting opportunities for gender-sensitive, trauma-informed interventions. This study aimed to: (1) quantify and characterize traumatic life events among women attending a tertiary mental health facility in Kashmir. (2) examine associations between cumulative trauma burden and psychiatric diagnoses, particularly major depressive disorder (MDD) and trauma-related disorders. (3) identify sociodemographic factors contributing to psychiatric vulnerability. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 300 women aged ≥ 18 years attending a women’s mental health clinic were assessed. Diagnoses were established using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I. 7.0.2, DSM-5). Cumulative trauma burden was measured with the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). Sociodemographic data were collected using a semi-structured proforma. Analyses included Chi-square tests, logistic regression, and cluster analysis. Results: MDD (59.3%), bipolar disorder (11.7%), and trauma-related disorders (11%) were the most common diagnoses. Over one-third reported more than 11 traumatic events, most frequently natural disasters (95%) and war-zone exposure (66.6%). High cumulative trauma burden was strongly associated with MDD and trauma-related disorders. Older age, marital status, illiteracy, unemployment, and high trauma burden significantly predicted adverse psychiatric outcomes (p < 0.001). Cluster analysis identified two profiles: high trauma burden with depression, and lower trauma exposure with relatively stable outcomes. Conclusions: Cumulative trauma burden and sociodemographic vulnerabilities substantially influence women’s mental health in conflict settings, underscoring the need for trauma-informed, gender-sensitive clinical assessments, interventions, and community-based mental health programs.