264569 Assessing the relationships between Childhood Sexual Abuse, Social and Emotional Support, and Mental Health by Gender among Adults

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM

William W. Thompson, PhD , NCCDPHP, Division of Population Health, Arthritis, Epilepsy, and Quality of Life Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
John P. Barile, PhD , Division of Adult and Community Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Shanta R. Dube, PhD, MPH , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Valerie Edwards, PhD , National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Satvinder Dhingra, MPH , Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Introduction: Research suggests that individuals who experience childhood sexual abuse report receiving less social and emotional support and poorer mental health as adults. Less is known regarding whether these associations are moderated by gender. Methods: Using 2010 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance data for 18,542 participants aged > 18 years, we assessed the impact of childhood sexual abuse on social and emotional support and mental health indicators during adulthood and whether these relationships were moderated by gender. Childhood sexual abuse was determined by asking individuals whether they had been sexually abused by an adult during their childhood. Social and emotional support was measured by asking whether the respondent was currently receiving needed social and emotional support. Mental health was assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) and the CDC mentally unhealthy days question. Results: Childhood sexual abuse had direct negative effects on social and emotional support and mental health indices during adulthood. Low social and emotional support was associated with poorer mental health. In addition, gender was found to moderate the association between childhood sexual abuse and social and emotional support and the association between social and emotional support and mental health. These associations were significantly stronger for females relative to males. Conclusions: This study suggests long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse on needed social and emotional support and adult mental health and these associations appear to be moderated by gender. Public health can play an important role in reducing the long term effects of childhood sexual abuse.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe associations between childhood sexual abuse and reported social and emotional support during adulthood. 2. Describe associations between childhood sexual abuse and adult mental health. 3. Describe moderating effects of gender on relationships between childhood sexual abuse, social and emotional support, and mental health. 4. Describe public health’s role for reducing the long term impact of childhood sexual abuse.

Keywords: Adult and Child Mental Health, Child Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have a PhD in psychology and I have 18 years of experience in mental health epidemiology. This includes peer reviewed publications examining a wide range of mental health outcomes including PTSD, depression and anxiety. I have also published studies examining the effects of a wide range of risk factors including combat exposure, parental separation, smoking, physical activity, lack of health care coverage, and race/ethnicity on long term mental health.
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.

Back to: 4304.0: Psychiatric Epidemiology