Gender-Based Violence Typology Associated with Depression, and Anxiety in Informal Settlements in Uganda.

This article focuses on the association between gender-based violence (GBV) and mental health outcomes—specifically depression and anxiety—among women living in informal settlements in Kampala, Uganda. Using baseline data from the SafeBangle intervention involving 644 adolescent girls and women, the study found high prevalence of emotional and physical GBV, with physical GBV in public spaces being most common. Emotional and physical GBV perpetrated both publicly and by family/relatives were significantly associated with increased risks of depression and anxiety, while sexual GBV showed no significant adjusted association. The findings highlight the need for family- and community-based interventions and policies that prioritize mental health services and GBV prevention tailored to low-resource urban settings.