Health concerns of university women with a history of child physical and sexual maltreatment

Three health symptom checklists were used to measure physical health concerns among university women in relation to prior child physical maltreatment (CPM) (20%, n=153) and child sexual abuse (CSA) (19%, n=143). A history of CPM was related to all three general areas of health concerns as well as many of the specific subscales comprising measures (e.g., muscular-related symptoms and gynecological problems), whereas an interaction between CSA and CPM was linked to greater premenstrual distress subscale scores (particularly emotional and behavioral symptoms). Overall, although CSA was not related to health symptoms, within the CSA subgroup, greater duration and severity of CSA was predictive of higher premenstrual distress even after controlling for CPM. This study emphasizes the need for greater awareness of the physical health-related correlates of both physical and sexual maltreatment in childhood and their associated implications for women's health care needs.
Author: 
Runtz,Marsha G.
Reprint Status: 
IN FILE
Start Page: 
241
End Page: 
253
Journal/Periodical Name: 
Child Maltreatment
Volume: 
7
Issue: 
3
Abstract: 
This article describes a study of 775 female college students enrolled in psychology at a medium-size, western Canadian university. Subjects completed a 20-page survey that included measures of abuse history during childhood (including child sexual abuse and physical abuse using the Physical Maltreatment Scale) and current physical health concerns (using the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire, Pre-Menstrual and Menstrual Phase scales, and a health symptoms checklist based partially on the Psychosomatic Symptoms Checklist). Within this sample, 20% of the subjects reported a history of child physical maltreatment and 19% reported a history of child sexual abuse. A history of physical maltreatment was found to be related to all three areas of physical health concerns and shown to interact with sexual abuse, resulting in greater premenstrual distress.
Topic Areas: 
College, Effects, Survivors
Reference Type: 
JOUR
Reference ID: 
1581
Publication Date: 
2002/August