215508 Unwanted sex among young adults in the US: The role of physical disability and cognitive performance

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 4:30 PM - 4:50 PM

Abigail A. Haydon, MPH , Department of Maternal and Child Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Annie-Laurie McRee, MPH , Department of Maternal and Child Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Carolyn Tucker Halpern, PhD , Department of Maternal and Child Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
BACKGROUND: Sexual violence is associated with negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Adolescents with disabilities are more vulnerable to sexual abuse and unwanted sexual encounters, making them a population of special concern. However, we know little about the sexual experiences of individuals with disabilities through adolescence and adulthood. This study compares experiences of unwanted sex among young adults with and without disabilities in a nationally representative sample. METHODS: Data are from 11,911 respondents aged 26-32 who participated in Waves I, III, and IV (completed in 2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Using logistic regression, we examined the association between physical disability and level of cognitive performance and the odds of experiencing physically forced and non-physically coerced sex. Multivariate models controlled for relevant socio-demographic factors. Analyses were stratified by biological sex and adjusted for Add Health's complex study design. RESULTS: Approximately 22% of females and 4% of males reported experiencing unwanted (either forced or coerced) sex. Compared to respondents without disabilities, females with a physical disability had greater odds of experiencing forced sex (OR: 1.49; 95% 95% CI = 1.07, 2.09), while males with a physical disability had greater odds of experiencing coerced sex (OR: 1.83; 95% CI = 1.01, 3.35). Cognitive performance was not associated with unwanted sex for either males or females in preliminary analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Physical disability increases the risk of experiencing unwanted sex, although associations vary by biological sex. These findings underscore the unique sexual health vulnerabilities of individuals with physical disabilities.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe young adults’ experiences of unwanted (coerced or forced) sex. 2. Identify differences in experiences of unwanted sex between young adults with and without disabilities, and how these experiences differ by gender. 3. Discuss implications of these differences with regard to the sexual health of individuals with disabilities.

Keywords: Sexual Assault, Disability

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Abigail Haydon received her MPH from the Department of Maternal and Child Health at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is currently a doctoral student in the Department of Maternal and Child Health and a predoctoral trainee at the Carolina Population Center. Ms. Haydon’s research interests focus on patterns of adolescent sexual behavior and their implications for adult health, as well as the integration of developmental and public health perspectives. She has conducted research in the areas of teen dating violence, community-based approaches to adolescent pregnancy prevention, adolescent romantic relationships, and the implications of early childhood and adolescent experiences for health outcomes during the transition to adulthood.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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