Post-traumatic stress disorder and its association with domestic violence among rohingya refugee women in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

Rohingya refugees who have been displaced from Myanmar and live in overpopulated camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, are deeply traumatized. Although the psychological burden related to forced displacement is well-studied, little has been done to understand the role of domestic violence in the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of women in a refugee camp setting. The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of PTSD in Rohingya refugee women and its association with exposure to domestic violence. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 Rohingya women aged 18 years and above living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. Participants were selected using systematic random sampling. Data were collected using the validated Bangla version of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) through face-to-face interviews. Bivariate associations were assessed using chi-square tests with crude odds ratios (ORs), and multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the association between domestic violence and PTSD after controlling for covariates. Among 300 Rohingya women, 55.7% met the PCL-5 threshold for provisional PTSD, and 69.3% reported domestic violence in the past 12 months. In bivariate analysis, domestic violence was associated with higher odds of PTSD, whereas smaller household size and shorter camp duration were associated with lower odds of PTSD. In multivariable analysis, domestic violence was found to be associated with PTSD (aOR = 3.68, 95% CI 2.11–6.45) after controlling for factors associated with PTSD in bivariate analysis. PTSD symptoms were highly prevalent among Rohingya refugee women, and domestic violence exposure was associated with higher odds of PTSD symptoms. The results highlight the necessity of combining gender-responsive mental health services and domestic violence in a refugee camp setting.