Objective: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of domestic physical violence with clinical features of depression, anxiety levels and pain severity in female cases who applied to the physical therapy and rehabilitation outpatient clinic and diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

Material and Method: The sample is constituted by 34 female patients who applied with pain to the physical therapy and rehabilitation outpatient clinic of a state hospital in Siirt, and diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to American College of Rheumatology 2010 criteria. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Visual Analog Scale which evaluate pain severity and a clinical interview form for domestic physical violence were applied to cases.

Results: Domestic physical violence was found to be 29.4% during childhood and 38.2% during adulthood. Significantly negative relationship was detected between pain severity and age at marriage (r=-0.514, p=0.002) as well as education level (r=-0,143, p=0.002). Domestic physical violence in marriage was found to be significantly related with pain severity (p<0.001). Significantly negative relationship was detected between HAM-D (r=-0.510, p=0.002), HAM-A (r=-0.407, p=0.017) and age at marriage. A significant relationship was found between HAM-D (p<0.001), HAM-A (p=0.002) and physical violence in marriage. A positive correlation between pain severity and HAM-D (r=0.561, p=0.001) and HAM-A (r=0.420, p=0.013) was found. A significant positive correlation was found between HAM-D and HAM-A scores (p<0.001 r=0.793).

Conclusion: Domestic physical violence was found to be related with pain severity and symptoms of depression and anxiety in our sample. Anxiety and depression levels were related with pain severity. Therefore during the treatment and follow up of fibromyalgia patients, investigation of domestic violence and evaluation of comorbid symptoms of anxiety and depression might be useful.

Fibromyalgia Domestic physical violence Depression Anxiety