EFFECTS OF VIOLENCE IN MENTAL-HEALTH - PR ESENT STATE AND PERSPECTIVES

This paper tries to give an overview of violence as a health problem, considering the related mortality and morbidity reported at three diff erent levels: international, continental and national. It also emphasi zes the association between violence and mental health, because this r elation has been poorly studied in our country. Some results are repor ted in terms of the severe psychological consequences of different typ es of violence, such as torture, war, violent crimes, child maltreatme nt and violence against women. Particularly, the relation among violen ce and posttraumatic symptoms is highlighted. Some data derived from s tudies developed in the Social and Epidemiological Research Division o f the Mexican Institute of Psychiatry shows the strong association bet ween alcohol and drug abuse and violent behaviors. The psychosocial ef fects of the crime phenomena in the community are also reported. Some preliminary results of a study on crime victims give an idea of the st rong posttraumatic consequences suffered by these persons. Finally, so me research areas are suggested, which emphasize the importance of dev eloping studies with a critical conceptualization of violence.