Somatic health of 2500 women examined at a sexual assault center over 10 years

Abstract

Introduction. Sexual assault is a public health issue with many potential shortand long-term consequences for the victims. We aimed to investigate somatic health of women before and after sexual assault. Material and methods. We included 2501 women who attended the Centre for Victims of Sexual Assault in Copenhagen, and 10004 women without a known assault experience (controls). Somatic diagnoses were retrieved from the National Health Registry and number of visits to general practitioners from the Danish Health Insurance Registry. Somatic data were assessed during the five-year period before and after the assault. Results. The incidence of several somatic disorders was found to be significantly higher for the exposed women than for controls, both before and after the assault. Rate ratios of main disorders before and after the assault were respectively: disease of circulatory and respiratory system: 3.2 (2.6-4.1) and 2.6 (2.1-3.2); epilepsy: 2.9 (2.2-3.8) and 4.1 (3.0-5.6) and disease of the liver: 3.5 (1.9-6.3) and 7.0 (4.4-11.1), respectively. The rate ratios of laparoscopic surgery: 1.5 (0.9-2.5) and 3.4 (2.3-5.0) and of cervical cancer: 0.8 (0.4-1.7) and 2.0 (1.4-3.0) increased significantly after sexual assault. Likewise, the number of visits to a general practitioner was significantly higher in exposed women both before and after the assault (16 vs. 10/year). Complications associated with childbirth were not statistically different between the groups. Conclusions. Our results suggest a higher somatic morbidity in women seen at a sexual assault center before as well as after the assault compared with controls.

Associations between Trauma Exposure and Physical Conditions among Public Safety Personnel: Associations entre l’exposition à un traumatisme et les problèmes physiques chez le personnel de la santé publique

“…64 The current study's result that sexual assault was associated with the highest prevalence of respiratory conditions is consistent with previous research that has established an association between sexual assault and poor physical health including respiratory conditions. 12,71,72 Further investigation is warranted to understand why only certain physical conditions varied according to trauma type, or whether this trend is a consequence of limited power and small cell sizes in the current study.…”

Changes in Psychiatric and Medical Conditions and Health Care Utilization Following a Diagnosis of Sexual Assault

“…Results are consistent with a prior retrospective cohort study that found significantly higher incidence of several somatic disorders and visits to a general practitioner among women with SA relative to matched women without SA both before and after the assault. (10) The high percentage of patients experiencing psychiatric and medical conditions prior to a diagnosis of SA indicates that some of the association between SA and these conditions found in prior cross-sectional studies may be incorrectly attributed to SA, and speaks to the need for longitudinal studies with appropriate comparison groups.…”

“…(9) A recent retrospective cohort study found significantly higher incidence of somatic disorders and visits to a general practitioner in women with SA both before and after the assault relative to matched women without SA during the same time period. (10) However, this study did not include utilization of other health care services, including specialty treatment (e.g., psychiatry) and the emergency department, and analyses did not compare changes in diagnoses and healthcare utilization between SA and matched patients using multivariable models that control for secular trends.…”

Factors Associated With Law Enforcement Reporting in Patients Presenting for Medical Forensic Examinations

“…More than 700,000 sexual assaults occur in the United States each year (Morgan & Oudekerk, 2019). Sexual assault (defined as rape or other unwanted sexual contact) is a crime with potentially severe adverse health consequences (Dworkin et al, 2017; Larsen et al, 2016). Many perpetrators are repeat offenders and at risk of committing other types of crimes (Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2005; Lovell et al, 2017; Lussier & Cale, 2013; Zinzow & Thompson, 2015).…”