The Relationship of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Depression with Somatic Symptoms and Medical Utilization
Newman, M. G., Clayton, L., Zuellig, A. R., Cashman, L., Arnow, B., Dea, R., & Taylor, C. B. (2000). The relationship of childhood sexual abuse and depression with somatic symptoms and objective medical utilization. Psychological Medicine, 30(5), 1063-1077. doi:10.1017/S003329179900272X
15 Pages Posted: 28 Jan 2015 Last revised: 8 May 2019
Date Written: 2000
Abstract
Determined whether women who were sexually abused as children would have higher rates of medical use compared with nonabused females. The authors also determined whether findings of prior researchers would be replicated when childhood physical abuse levels was controlled and determined the moderating impact of depressed mood on current health measures. 602 women (aged 18-88 yrs) recruited from an HMO completed self-report measures of health symptoms for the previous month and doctor visits for the previous year. Objective doctor records over a 2-yr period were examined for a subset of 136 women. Women who reported childhood sexual abuse reported more health symptoms and more doctor visits. Objective doctor visits demonstrated the same pattern with abused women. Women who were both sexually abused and depressed tended to visit the emergency room more frequently and to have more inpatient internal medicine and opthamology visits than sexually abused but nondepressed women and nonabused controls.
Keywords: childhood sexual abuse with vs without depression, health care utilization, self reported symptoms
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