Due to the dominant cultural and social narratives surrounding womanhood, widows are

marginalized in India. Their disenfranchisement goes beyond a lack of socio-economic

prosperity. Often times widows are shunned from their family, and forced to fend for themselves

as they are seen as an economic burden on the family (Pande, 2018). Because of their general

status, utilization of health care, much less mental health care, amongst widows is low (Sreerupa

and Rajan, 2010). As there are currently no studies that assess the prevalence of various mental

health conditions amongst widows in India, the objectives of this study are to determine the

baseline prevalence of depression, anxiety, trauma, and adverse childhood events as well as to

ascertain what factors influence mental health seeking behavior amongst this population.