Depression is the most common mental health problem in late life.

To estimate the prevalence of depression in the elderly and to investigate associations with risk factors.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among the members of four day care centers for older people (KAPI), three in the municipality of Patras, West-Greece and in one KAPI in the municipality of Tripolis, Peloponnese-Greece. A total of 378 individuals took part in the study. A questionnaire was developed to collect basic demographic data. Moreover, to all participants the Greek validated version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was applied, to screen for depressive symptoms.

According to GDS-15, 48.1% of the studied population screened positive for depressive symptoms (38.6 % moderate, 9.5% severe). In 139 members of KAPI of Tripolis, depressive symptoms were more frequent in women than in men (62.9% vs 45.5%, p=0.012), in not married (85.6% vs 38.9%, p>0.001), in participants without children (91.7% vs 49.2%, p>0.001), in subjects suffering from insomnia (88.6% vs 6.7%. p>0.001), in participants with low monthly income (63.7% vs 25.8%, p>0.001) and in older adults with co-morbidity (62.4% vs 4.5%, p>0.001). In 239 members of KAPI of Patras, depression were more frequent in women (54.6% vs37.4%, p=0.027), in not married (55.6% vs38.9%, p=0.038), in subjects living alone (62% vs38.1%, p=0.003) and in elderly with co-morbidity (50.8% vs27.5%, p=0.02).

The present study reveals high prevalence and several risk factors for developing depression in the specific population of the elderly.

Stigma is a phenomenon that has been evaluated according to endless numbers of attributes, health conditions and social groups. Research shows that mental illness is one of the most socially exclusive stigmata. Aukst Margetic underlines the importance of individual differences in personality as performing a key role in mediating between social and internalized stigma.

To gain the existing state of the art on personality correlates and to verify the knowledge of the clinical variables on the phenomenon of internalized stigma among patients with severe mental illnesses.

To answer the question whether there are any differences in internalized stigmatization among patients with severe mental illnesses in relation to the personality traits and illness-related factors.

Two-stages, cross-sectional study design. Stage I, a pilot study to check the reliability of psychometric instrument measured the internalized stigma – Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale by Ritsher [Boyd]. Stage II,to examine the internalized stigma in relation to personality and clinical correlates. The study is conducted among people of both sexes between 18 and 65 years old with diagnosis of psychotic disorders (F20-29) and mood disorders (F30-39) according to ICD-10.

Among used methods are: Personality Inventory NEO-FFI, Eysenck's Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R), a Polish version of questionnaire of Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI).

Data on relation between personality traits, clinical factors and internalized stigma.

In the future, the obtained results may contribute to the clinical and therapeutic fields, assuming that internalized stigma is strongly linked with the process of recovery.

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence and forms of psychoactive substances among adolescent students in Assiut Governorate, Egypt.

This study was cross sectional community survey conducted during academic year (2010-2011). The sample size was 5476 students from preparatory and secondary schools were subjected to a standardized questionnaire of substance misuse questionnaire of Egypt in an Arabic version and modified Arabic version of socioeconomic scale .

22.9 % of sample stated that they used psychoactive substance. Substance use disorders in age group (12 – 16) was (50.0%), (> 16 – 19) was (49.68%), and (> 19) was (0.32%) . Males reported higher prevalence (94.59%) than females (5.41%). Substance use disorder was prevalent in Secondary Public schools (48.17%), Technical (24.84%), Preparatory (23.09%) and then Secondary Private (3.90%). Students from Rural areas reported higher prevalence (83.36%) than Urban areas (16.64%). Tobacco smoking in males (89.31%) and in females (98.53%), Marijuana (Hash)in males (5.56%), Alcohol in males (1.94%), Tramadol in males (1.60%), Marijuana (Bhang) in males (0.93%), Opium in males (0.34%)and in females (1.47%), Benzodiazepines (Clonazepam, Alprazolam)in males (0.25%),and lastly Amphetamine like (Foula) in males (0.08%). Recreational pattern (34.63%) that was higher in males than in females (36.20%−7.35%). Dependence was (28.50%) that was also higher in males than females.

Tobacco and Hashish were the major substance problem for most of Students, that needs to be addressed in treatment programs.

High potency cannabis has been associated with greater risk, and earlier onset of psychosis. However, its effect on brain structure, particularly white matter (WM), has never been explored.

To elucidate the interplay between cannabis potency, pattern of use (frequency and age of first use) and CC microstructure; in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and healthy controls.

56 FEP and 43 healthy controls underwent Diffusion-Tensor Imaging combined with WM mapping-tractography. CC was virtually dissected and segmented to calculate Fractional Anisotropy (FA), Mean Diffusivity (MD), Axial Diffusivity (AD) and Radial Diffusivity (RD) for each CC segment.

High potency cannabis users had higher Total CC MD and Total CC AD than both low potency users and those who never used (p=0.009 and p=0.02 respectively). Daily users also had higher Total CC MD and Total CC AD than both occasional users and those who never used (p=0.02 and p=0.01 respectively). Furthermore, daily/highpotency users had higher Total CC MD than those who never used or used weekly [F(2,57)=4.7, p=0.01]. There was no effect of diagnosis or diagnosis X potency/patterns of use interactions; neither differences between users who started before the age of 15 and those who started later were detected, in any diffusivity measures.

Frequent use of high-potency cannabis significantly affects callosal microstructure, regardless of the presence of a psychotic disorder. Given the increased availability and use of high potency preparations in Europe, raising awareness about some of their detrimental effects is an important avenue to pursue.

A bidirectional association between type 2 diabetes and depression has been consistently reported. It is associated with worse biomedical outcomes and increased mortality. One possible question is whether the co-occurrence of type 2 diabetes and depression is due to genetic and/or environmental vulnerabilities in common to the two traits.

To examine the genetic relationship between type 2 diabetes and depression at a population level.

To quantify the genetic overlap between type 2 diabetes and depression using the Swedish Twin Registry.

The study included 43,565 twin pairs (12,363 monozygotic pairs and 31,202 dizygotic pairs). The primary outcomes were lifetime diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and depression from the Swedish National Hospital Discharge Registry. Standard bivariate twin models were fitted to the raw data to estimate the genetic and environmental (co)variance of the two traits.

Heritability estimates for lifetime diagnoses of type 2 diabetes and depression were similar to previous estimates, at 77% and 42% respectively. The phenotypic correlation between type 2 diabetes and depression was 0.14 (95%CI: 0.11-0.17), of which 58% was due to shared genetic influences. When covariates (age and gender) were included, the genetic contribution to the phenotypic correlation reduced to 51%.

This is the first study to demonstrate a small but significant genetic overlap between type 2 diabetes and depression at a population level, using hospital-registry records.

Schizophrenia is associated with an increased risk of violence. The successful identification of the illness specific factors that contribute to that risk could lead to the development of novel therapeutic risk management strategies.

To identify cognitive and emotion processing deficits that are linked to violence risk in schizophrenia.

Fifty male patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia and thirty-nine healthy controls were assessed across a range of intellectual, executive, emotion and social processing domains. Lifetime propensity to violence was quantified in terms of frequency, severity and victim outcome.

General intellectual ability and memory were not significantly associated with violence propensity. Violent patients showed significantly poorer response inhibition, after accounting for relevant clinical variables. A greater lifetime propensity to violence was associated with an attentional bias towards anger, a heightened sensitivity to the recognition of fear, with poorer complex Theory of Mind performance.

Our results allow us to propose a hypothetical model of the risk of violence in schizophrenia. We suggest that heightened sensitivity to environmental negative emotional cues and poorer understanding of complex social situations, combined with a poorer ability both to quickly process but also inhibit pre-potent responses, results in a greater propensity to violence in schizophrenia. We propose that this model sits alongside risk associated with other factors such as illicit drug use. These findings need replication but could have implications for more effective treatment and management of patients with schizophrenia.

Phase I entailed the development of the Social Rituals Schedule (SRS). It is a semi-structured interview that rates the degree of changes observed across several domains determined as universal social rituals via extensive analysis of socio-anthropological studies and literature (e.g. personal appearance, sleeping habits, greeting rituals). During Phase II, the psychometric properties of the SRS were then evaluated and the instrument proved to have good inter-rater reliability and to be sensitive to changes characteristic of prodromal symptoms. In Phase III, the SRS was administered on 30 early episode psychosis patients and their carers and the results were comparatively analysed to determine the agreement between patient-carer observations of behavioural changes.

The hypothesised interconnectedness of altered performance of social rituals and impaired mental functioning was demonstrated. The SRS was established as a sensitive, feasible and reliable tool for measuring changes characteristic of prodromal symptoms. The project illustrated the clinical usefulness of the social rituals concept and its accompanying instrument in facilitating the early detection of mental disorders.

The onset of eating pathology has commonly been attributed to media influences. However, most of these studies have not included an experimental design and have mainly concentrated on Caucasian samples, with limited research on non-Western populations.

To assess whether exposure to either objectifying female media images or neutral images (e.g. chairs) had an impact on eating pathology and self-objectification and whether this effect was different for Australian and Asian females.

A total sample of 301 female participants [Caucasian Australians (n= 97); Asians grown up in Australia (n = 70), Asians currently residing in Australia (n = 60) and Chinese living in Hong Kong (n = 74)] were exposed to a slideshow of either objectifying women (n=147) or neutral (n=154) images. Variables associated with the objectification framework and eating pathology were assessed through self-report.

State self-objectification was higher in individuals who were exposed to the objectifying media images, regardless of ethnicity (p >0.01). Caucasians had significantly higher BMI and greater body surveillance compared to the Chinese population (p>0.01), and more trait self-objectification and body surveillance compared to Asians residing in Australia (p>0.05). Similarly, Asians who grew up in Australia demonstrated higher trait self-objectification compared to Asians residing in Australia (p>0.05), and body surveillance and food preoccupation compared to the Chinese sample (p>0.05).

The results indicate that self-objectification can be elicited from exposure to objectifying media images in women from varying cultural backgrounds. This understanding is crucial to the development of preventive measures of eating pathology.

Basic Self disturbances (BSD), including changes of the 'pre-reflexive' sense of self and the loss first-person perspective, are characteristic of the schizophrenic spectrum disorders and highly prevalent in subjects at 'ultra high risk' for psychosis (UHR). The current literature indicates that cortical midline structures (CMS) may be implicated in the neurobiological substrates of the 'basic self' in healthy controls.

Neuroanatomical investigation of BSD in a UHR sample

To test the hypotheses :(i) UHR subjects have higher 'Examination of Anomalous Self Experience, EASE' scores as compared to controls, (ii) UHR subjects have neuroanatomical alterations as compared to controls in CMS, (iii) within UHR subjects, EASE scores are directly related to structural CMS alterations.

32 HR subjects (27 antipsychotics-naïve) and 17 healthy controls (HC) were assessed with the 57-items semi-structured EASE interview. Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) was conducted in the same subjects, with a-priori Region of Interests (ROIs) defined in the CMS (anterior/posterior cingulate and medial-prefrontal cortex).

Despite high variability in the HR group, the overall EASE score was higher (t-test >0.01, Cohen's d =2.91) in HR (mean=30.15, SD=16.46) as compared to HC group (mean=1.79, SD=2.83). UHR subjects had gray matter reduction in CMS as compared to HC (p>0.05 FWE-corrected). Across the whole sample, lower gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate was correlated with higher EASE scores (p>0.05).

This study provides preliminary evidence that gray matter reductions in the CMS are correlated with BSD in UHR people.

Neuroimaging studies indicate that auditory hallucinations are associated with smaller grey matter volume in the auditory cortex in schizophrenia patients. However, reduced cortical volume can be the result of reduction in either cortical thickness or cortical surface area, and these two components may reflect different pathophysiological processes.

To measure cortical thickness and surface area of auditory cortex in schizophrenia spectrum patients and healthy controls and investigate putative association of cortical characteristics with auditory hallucinations.

To determine how thickness and surface area of the auditory cortex relate to auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia patients.

Schizophrenia spectrum patients and healthy controls from the Thematically Organized Psychosis study, Oslo, Norway, underwent 1.5 T MRI. General linear models were used to compare cortical thickness and surface area (obtained with FreeSurfer) in transverse temporal gyrus (TTG), planum temporale (PT), and lateral superior temporal gyrus (STG) between hallucinating (score > 3 on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, PANSS, item P3; n=82), non-hallucinating (n=139) schizophrenia spectrum patients, and healthy controls (n=323).

Both patient groups had thinner cortex bilaterally in PT and STG, as well as larger left STG surface area compared to controls. The hallucinating group showed reduced thickness in left TTG and trend reduction in left PT compared to non-hallucinating patients. No cortical surface area differences were found between hallucinating and non-hallucinating patients.

Our results indicate that auditory cortex volume reductions associated with auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia patients are driven by reductions in cortical thickness.

Admission to a psychiatric hospital is a strong predictor for future adverse outcome such as imprisonment and death. There exists a large gender gap for this relationship for men and women.

To study sex difference in the time from admission to psychiatric hospital and time to imprisonment or death.

All patients over 18 years of age admitted for the first time to psychiatric in-patient care in a nationwide population were found through administrative registers in Iceland. A Cox proportional hazard ratio was calculated for a composite outcome variable of either imprisonment or death for 10 years following admission.

During a 27-year period, a total of 4,459 individuals were admitted to psychiatric services in Iceland out of which 2,303 were men (51.6%). The average age at first admission was 25.9 ± 5.7 for men and 25.8 ± 5.8 for women (p=0.64). Substance use disorder was the most common discharge diagnosis in 46% of admissions, mood disorder in 35.6%, personality disorder in 12.8% and schizophrenia and related disorders in 7.9%. A Cox proportional hazard model showed a hazard ratio (HR) of adverse outcome for men 2.52 (95%-confidence interval (95%-CI): 1.87–3.39, p>0.001). HR for substance use disorder was 3.08 (95%-CI: 2.31-4.11), personality disorders HR = 1.85 (95%-CI: 1.34-2.55), whereas older age at admission was protective HR 0.96 (95%-CI: 0.93-0.98, p=0.003) as was admission later in the period HR 0.96 (95%-CI: 0.93-0.98).

Men have a statistically worse prognosis when looking at hard endpoints such as imprisonment and death.

The changing epidemiological profile of population in recent decades is related to the socio-economic conditions of contemporaneity. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is positioned in the chronic non-communicable diseases spectrum as one of the most prevalent being responsible for high rates of morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic adhere is of crucial importance because there are high risks associated with non-adherence and it impacts on quality of life.

Identifying therapeutic adherence predictors in type 2 diabetes (DM2).

188 patients attending diabetology consultations at the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, at Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra and at Associação Protetora dos Diabéticos de Portugal participated in the study. Participants completed the following set of self-report instruments: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Diabetes Health Profile (DHP), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem (RSE), and the social relations dimension of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL). Therapeutic adherence was established base on HbA1C clinical criteria.

Multiple regression analyses revealed that the full model was statistically significant [c 2 (4, n = 188) = 20.79, p >0.001] explaining between 20% and 29.6% of total variance and 76.3% of the cases were correctly classified. The four variables significantly contributed to the model, especially the BDI and the RSE, registering an odds ratio of 1.104 and 1.203, respectively.

In DM2 predictors of non-adherence were depression and diabetes patient health profile while self-esteem and quality of life in social relations, emerged as predictors of adherence.

To characterize brain perfusion in FEP.

To see if FEP exhibit modified perfusion in respect to healthy controls (HC), and identify the most affected brain areas.

We acquired T1 and DSC images of 35 FEP patients (45 +/- 10 years old) and 35 HC (42 +/- 8), using Gadolinium (0.1 mmol/Kg). We computed cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF) and mean transit time (MTT) [3] in the whole brain and in left and right frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes, insula, caudate and cerebellum

Mean values of all quantities resulted lower in patients, up to 12% for CBV in right frontal lobe, 11% for CBF in left cerebellum and 16% for MTT in right frontal lobe. We used a support vector machine (SVM) to classify subjects on the basis of the histogram of perfusion values. We found that the classification reached accuracies over 80%, especially in the frontal brain areas.

FEP show altered perfusion parameters, which allow automatic classification with good accuracy, showing that brain vascular characteristics can be considered as marker of psychosis.

1. [1] Peruzzo et al (2011). J Neural Transm, 118, 4:563-70.

2. [2] Agarwal et al (2008). J Affect Disord, 110, 1-2:106-14.

3. [3] Ostergaard et al (1996). Magn Reson Med, 36, 5:715-25.

Studies have shown that mental health risks related to military deployment depend on specific risk factors. Especially stressful experiences (SE) and lack of social support (SS) have been associated with deployment-related increases in mental disorders. Less is known about difficulties in emotion regulation (DER) in this context despite their well-known importance for the development and maintenance of mental disorders. To date, the number of prospective studies investigating the role of these potential risk factors for deployment-related psychopathology is limited.

To investigate risk factors for deployment-related increases in symptoms of common mental disorders.

To investigate associations between SE, SS and DER, and deployment-related increases in PTSD, major depression (MD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms.

358 male soldiers were assessed before and 12 months following deployment using standardized diagnostic interviews (CIDI) and embedded questionnaires. Outcome measures were the number of PTSD, MD and AUD symptoms reported for the preceding 12 months at follow-up. Analyses were adjusted for baseline symptoms.

SE (incidence risk ratio (IRR)):1.06, p>0.001), SS (IRR:0.98, p=0.034) and DER (IRR:1.04, p=0.009) independently predicted increases in PTSD symptoms. SE (IRR:1.04, p=0.004) and SS (IRR:0.98, p=0.022) also predicted increases in MD symptoms. Increase in AUD symptoms was not predicted by SE, SS or DER, but by increase in PTSD symptoms (IRR:1.02, p=0.029).

Findings support the role of SE, SS and DER as risk factors for deployment-related disorders, particularly for PTSD symptoms. This knowledge might help to identify high-risk individuals and to develop targeted interventions.

Siblings’ relationships have been seen as determinants of emotional and personal development. Although Greece is assumed a country with strong family bonds there is not empirical research in this area. Similarly Ireland is traditionally viewed as a country with strong family values.

In an attempt to conduct a comparative study of siblings’ relations the lack of a Greek valid instrument was obvious. The Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (SRQ) is a widely used scale which is a self reported measurement of this relationship.

Thus, in an attempt to employ an easily administered and valid measure, to assess sibling relationships, but also to be able to compare the results across countries the SRQ was the scale of choice.

The concurrent validity ranged from 0.29 to 0.68, the overall internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was equal to 0.86 and the test-retest reliability (Spearman's rho) ranged from 0.58 to 0.78. Agreement between children-parents versions was significant only when mothers do the rating.

Thus it seems that the translated Greek version of SRQ is a valid and reliable instrument to be used in the measurement of sibling relationships in Greek population, and can be used as a measurement for multinational clinical research and comparison with findings from other countries.

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits has been studied in details in relation with antisocial development, albeit specific data indicating an association between CU traits and the type of homicide in youth are not described in the literature.

The aims of the present study were to study the occurrence of CU traits and antisocial personality disorder in Hungarian youth committed homicide.

The forensic psychopathologic reports of 169 youths (14-24 years)were analyzed, including all closed Hungarian cases within between 2005 and 2009. Complete forensic psychopathologic reports were present in 144 cases (10 females, 134 males; age: 18.5±0.2 years, mean±SEM). The following diagnoses were outlined: DSM-IV 2nd axis problem, personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder. A contextual analysis was also performed, and the presence of at least one symptom of antisocial personality disorder, the presence of one symptom of CU traits, the presence of at least two independent symptoms of CU traits.

DSM-IV 2nd axis disorder was present in 68.7%, personality disorder in 55.6%, antisocial personality disorder in 32.6%. At least one symptom of antisocial personality disorder was present in 80.6%, at least one symptom of CU traits in 61.8%, and at least two independent symptoms of CU traits in 34.0%. The highest association of violent and/or premeditated homicide was present with the occurrence of at least two CU traits symptoms.

The above data suggest the importance of CU traits in youths with high risk, and outlines the importance of describing CU traits in forensic reports in youths committed homicide.

statistical and qualitative analysis of clients’ reports of 529. The clients were before judicial process and detained in custody in the MDC.

to analyse the frequent problems and the clinical questions by the referral doctors, the necessity of these problems, and the severity of the clients symptoms.

We analysed all the files, and the objectives: referral diagnosis, diagnosis after our examination, suicide intentions, intentional aggravation, heteroagression, psychiatric history, drug use and dependency, current medication, presence of psychotic symptoms.

Between 2007-2014 September there were 529 examinations. The most frequent question was to evaluate the suicide risk and to measure the necessity of the admission to an acute psychiatric unit. The number of the referrals remains 80-90 per year since 2012, 33% of the examined clients were diagnosed with personality disorder at our unit.

Specialised service is needed (Forensic Psychiatric Unit) to evaluate more precisely the severity of suicide risk, and to exclude the intentional behaviour. Consultation and training of the MDC medical staff can enhance the more precise psychiatric evaluation especially to differentiate between personality and major psychiatric disorders.

Suicidal activity is one of the criteria of quality of life and important social status component of society. Known, that cause of most so-called “death from accidents” (drugs overdose, road accidents, falling from height etc.) is actually a suicide.

Verify real cause of accidents death for further suicide prevention.

We analyzed the suicide average value in Ukraine last 5 years.

In 2009 compared to 2008 the number of suicides increased by 2,7% (259 cases) to 9717 cases (+ 5%) in Ukraine. In 2010, number of suicides dropped to 9500 cases. In 2011 8952 cases (19,6 per 100 000 population) in Ukraine committed suicide. During 2012 and 2013 recorded growth of suicidal activity (9060 cases or 19.9 in 2012 VS 9551 case or 20.6 in 2013). But we saw a decrease in total number of suicides hidden due to traffic accidents (5817 cases or 12.8 in 2012 and 5353 cases or 11.8 in 2013), accidental alcohol poisoning (4597 cases or 10.1 VS 3988 cases or 8.8) and other substances (2066 cases or 4.5 VS 1871 cases, or 4 1). While the overall increase in suicides in 2013 was +0.7, a decrease of hidden suicides due to these reasons reached −2.7 per 100 thousand population. Additionally, we noted a decrease in suicides by 2.4% over last 5 years.

Increase in suicidal activity over past two years have caused a redistribution of deaths in home by reducing hidden suicides, such as traffic accidents, alcohol poisoning and other substances.

The relationship between oligohydramnios and psychiatric disturbances is unclear.

This study examined the prevalence of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder in pregnant women with and without a diagnosis of oligohydramnios.

The study sample included 53 pregnant women with a diagnosis of oligohydramnios and 80 healthy pregnant women subjects. Oligohydramnios was defined as an amniotic fluid index of 8cm or less. Major depression and generalized anxiety disorder were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (SCID-I). The severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively.

Pregnant women with oligohydramnios had higher scores of depressive and anxiety symptom scores, and a higher prevalence rate of major depression (24.5% vs 6.2%) and generalized anxiety disorder (30.2% vs 3.2%). In addition, patients with deep oligohydramnios had a higher prevalence rate of major depression (40.7% vs 7.7%, P=0.009) and GAD (44.4% vs 15.4%, P=0.035) compared to patients with moderate oligohydramnios.

The results of the present study suggest that oligohydramnios appears to be associated with both major depression and generalized anxiety disorder in pregnant women.

IntimatePartner violence (IPV) against women is an international public health concern. Evidence of the association between IPV and morbidity and mortality of women and child abuse is substantial. Primary health care workers play a critical role in detection and management of IPV.

The aim of this survey was to assess the primary care nurses' preparedness to identify and provide nursing care to women exposed to IPV.

A cross-sectional survey was carried out in all primary health care centers in rural communities in one county of southern Taiwan. This survey involved all available nurses (280) in these centers. The response rate was 94.6%. A self- administrative questionnaire was used for data collection.

The preparedness regarding IPV among nurses was weak. 10.2% of the nurses believed they were sufficiently prepared to deal with women exposed to IPV. 13.2% of the nurses have received education or training about dealing with IPV. The most frequently reported barriers to deal with battered women were lack of knowledge and skills about IPV.

These results suggest that an in-service training program need to be set up for nurses working in primary health care centers. This program would help the nurses prepare to intervene more effectively to promote the health of battered women.