title: Sexual assault history and health perceptions: seven general population studies.
abstract: This article uses data from 7 population surveys to evaluate the association of sexual assault history with health perceptions. It estimates the extent of generalizability across gender, ethnic groups, and studies; the extent to which depression accounts for or mediates the association; and whether some circumstances of assault are more strongly related to poor subjective health. Data from each of 18 subsamples of the surveys were analyzed (pooled N = 10,001; 7,550 women and 2,451 men), and results were combined by using meta-analysis. Assault was associated with poor subjective health (odds ratio [OR] = 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36, 1.95) and this result was consistent regardless of gender, ethnicity, or sample. Controlling depression did not markedly change this result (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.21, 1.77), indicating that depression did not account for or mediate the assault-health perceptions association. Multiple assaults and assaults by strangers or spouse were most strongly associated with poor subjective health.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0646, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Golding
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology