A history of sexual abuse and health: a Nordic multicentre study

• Published in: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Main Authors: Hilden, Malene, Schei, Berit, Swahnberg, Katarina, Halmesmäki, Erja, Langhoff-Roos, Jens, Offerdal, Kristin, Pikarinen, Ulla, Sidenius, Katrine, Steingrimsdottir, Tora, Stoum-Hinsverk, Hildegun, Wijma, Barbro
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Blackwell 2004
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Status; Humans; Iceland/epidemiology; Middle Aged; Pelvic Pain; Prevalence; Psychophysiologic Disorders; Regression Analysis; Research Support; Non-U.S. Gov't; Scandinavia/epidemiology; Sex Offenses/psychology; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/3531; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00205.x

OBJECTIVES: To determine if a history of sexual abuse is associated with objective and subjective indicators of health and if certain abusive incidents had a stronger impact on health than others. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, multicentre study. SETTING: Five gynaecological departments in the five Nordic countries. SAMPLE: Three thousand five hundred and thirty-nine gynaecology patients. METHODS: The NorVold Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ) on abuse history and current health was mailed to all patients who consented to participate. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Reason for index visit at the gynaeocological clinic as well as several questions on health were recorded. General health status was measured as self-estimated health, psychosomatic symptoms (headache, abdominal pain, muscle, weakness, dizziness), number of health care visits and number of periods on sick leave. RESULT: A history of sexual abuse was reported by 20.7% of respondents. A history of sexual abuse was significantly associated with chronic pelvic pain as reason for index visit (P < 0.01), laparoscopic surgery (P < 0.01), psychosomatic symptoms (P < 0.01), self-estimated poor health (P < 0.01), many health care visits (P < 0.01) and high incidence of sick leave (P < 0.01). Several subgroups within the group of sexually abused women were more likely to report poor health: women abused as both children and adults, women who experienced additional emotional and/or physical abuse and women abused by a person they knew. CONCLUSION: Sexual abuse has a profound impact on women's health. Taking a history of sexual abuse seems particularly warranted when the patient presents with chronic pelvic pain or symptoms of a vague and diffuse nature.