The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #47991

D. Gant Ward, MA, Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia, 16 Hill Hall, Columbia, MO 65203, 573-449-0745, dgw13b@mizzou.edu and Gary King, PhD, Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, 315 E. Henderson Bldg, University Park, PA 16802.

Purpose: To examine the relationship between sexual abuse (SA) and smoking behavior among French adults.

Methods: Data were obtained from the 2000 Baromètre Santé, a nationally representative survey of 12,256 French adults commissioned by the Comité Francais D’Education pour la Sante (CFES) of Paris, France. Data concerning the health practices and sociodemographic characteristics of the French population were collected. Statistical analysis included cross-tabulations and weighted multiple logistic regression (MLR) using SPSS and Stata.

Results: The findings revealed that 2.7% of the total sample reported having been sexually abused, 4.7 % of the women and 0.6 % of the men. SA survivors described their last incident of SA as sexual molestation (19.5%), attempted rape (19.8%) or rape (60.6%). SA survivors smoked more cigarettes per day (14.5) than their non-abused counterparts (12.4, p<.01). Persons who were sexually abused between the ages of 10 and 17 began smoking earlier than survivors abused either before 10 or after 17 years old (p<.01). Adjusted MLR analysis revealed that French adults who were survivors of SA were more likely (OR=1.6, p<.001) to be current smokers than persons with no history of SA. Interestingly, persons reporting multiple incidents of SA were less likely to be current smokers than those reporting one SA (p<.05).

Conclusions: This analysis is consistent with other studies indicating that SA adversely influences an individual’s smoking behavior. Tobacco use should be among the substances addressed in treatment efforts targeting survivors of SA. Further investigation regarding both the causal and residual effects of SA and smoking is warranted.

Learning Objectives:

• The learning objectives of this presentation will be to promote further interest and investigation concernng the relationship between sexual abuse and smoking behaviors.

Keywords: Sexual Assault, Tobacco

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.