Multiple risky health behaviors in men and women reporting child abuse

SIGNIFICANCE: Multiple risky health behaviors (RHB) contribute to high disease and cost burden. Child abuse is associated with many adult health behaviors including past year, tobacco and drug use, monthly binge drinking, sedentary lifestyle and obesity. This presentation will focus on the role of child abuse as an underlying risk factor for multiple RHB. METHODS: Data from 12,174 adult men and women from the 2005 and 2010 National Alcohol Surveys will be used. RESULTS: Twenty-one percent of adults reported 3+ RHB in the past year. Participants reporting child sexual abuse had increased risk for past year binge drinking (ORcrude =1.8; 95% CI 1.6-2.1); tobacco use (ORcrude=2.5; 2.2-2.8); obesity (ORcrude=1.7; 1.5-2.0) and illicit drug use (ORcrude=2.8; 2.4-3.3). For women, 3+ RHB (vs. 0 RHB) was associated with reporting a history of childhood sexual abuse (ORcrude=3.7; 2.7-5.3) or physical abuse (ORcrude=1.7; 1.2-2.5) and for men reporting a history of child physical abuse (ORcrude=4.4; 2.2-8.9) compared to the no abuse group. In multivariate models, child sexual (ORadj 2.3; 2.0-2.6) and physical abuse (ORadj 1.5; 1.4-1.7) predicted 3+ RHB vs. <2 RHB. Poverty, depression, being age 18-29 and being male were also significant risk factors for 3+ RHB. CONCLUSION: Studies to better understand and treat risk factors for multiple RHB are considered a public health priority by health care institutions, health insurance, medical providers and health care policy advocates. Findings from the proposed study will support the development of augmented multiple RHB interventions for people with a history of child abuse.