title: A history of sexual abuse and health: a Nordic multicentre study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, multicentre study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five gynaecological departments in the five Nordic countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Victims of Sexual Assault, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Malene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hilden
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schei
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Swahnberg
authors.forename: Erja
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Halmesmäki
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Langhoff-Roos
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Offerdal
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pikarinen
authors.forename: Katrine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sidenius
authors.forename: Tora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Steingrimsdottir
authors.forename: Hildegun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stoum-Hinsverk
authors.forename: Barbro
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wijma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries / Q000453:epidemiology; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*