142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Online Program

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

298419
Women's physical health associated with childhood sexual assault history

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014

In Han Song, PhD , Graduate School of Social Welfare, Health & Mental Health Lab, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
Ji Eun Kim, BA , Graduate School of Social Welfare, Health & Mental Health Lab, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
Sarah Gehlert, Ph.D. , George Warren Brown School and the Department of Surgery of the School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Background. To examine possible associations between childhood sexual assault (CSA) history and women's physical health, we analyzed data from the Women's Wellness Study (WWS), a large community-based sample randomly selected from two rural and two urban areas of Illinois and Missouri.

Method. 843 Women who responded to both childhood (under 18) sexual assault history and health questions were selected for the analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between CSA history and women's physical health (migraine, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, ectopic pregnancy, abnormal bleeding, eclampsia, preeclampsia, pelvic inflammation, and severely painful menstruation), controlling for age, region, race, education, income, marital status, and employment status.

Results. 8.3% reported CSA involving intercourse. The following diseases were statistically significantly associated with CSA history, and women who had CSA were more likely to have had the following illnesses than women who were never assaulted: migraine (OR: 2.221, p=.039), ovarian cysts (OR: 2.713, p=.011), ectopic pregnancy (OR: 4.724, p=.041), abnormal bleeding (OR: 5.912, p=.000), eclampsia (OR: 3.787, p=.050), and severely painful menstruation (OR: 2.395, p=.003) while there was no statistical difference in endometriosis, preeclampsia, and pelvic inflammation.

Conclusions. CSA is statistically associated with women's physical health. We suggest special consideration such as regular follow-up monitoring of physical health is needed for women with CSA.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Assess possible associations between childhood sexual assault (CSA) history and women’s physical health such as migraine, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, ectopic pregnancy, abnormal bleeding, eclampsia, preeclampsia, pelvic inflammation, and severely painful menstruation. Discuss special consideration such as regular follow-up monitoring of physical health is needed for women with CSA

Keyword(s): Sexual Assault, Women's Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I designed the study, analyzed the data, and wrote the abstract with other coauthors. I've been doing research in this field for many years, and taught many related courses. I've been known as one of the best experts in women's health and mental health in Korea.
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: 4093.0: Privilege, power and partnership: Sexual identity, public safety and transactional sex