History of sexual abuse among bariatric surgery candidates.
BACKGROUND
A history of sexual abuse is associated with a range of psychosocial difficulties and health risk behaviors in the general population. Sexual abuse also appears to be a risk factor for the development of obesity. Little is known, however, about the prevalence and psychosocial correlates of sexual abuse among persons with extreme obesity who seek bariatric surgery.


METHODS
Questionnaire data were collected from 567 individuals with extreme obesity who presented for bariatric surgery. Those with and without a self-reported history of sexual abuse were compared on several psychosocial variables.


RESULTS
Sixteen percent of the surgery candidates (17.0% of women and 11.5% of men) reported a history of sexual abuse. Those who reported a history of sexual abuse were more likely to report previous emotional difficulties, as well as a personal and family history of substance abuse. They also were significantly more likely to meet the criteria for binge eating disorder, as determined from self-report responses to the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns, compared with those without a self-reported history of sexual abuse. In addition, those who reported a history of sexual abuse were more likely to report both current and previous psychiatric treatment than were those who denied a history of abuse.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant minority of bariatric surgery candidates reported a history of sexual abuse. Among these individuals, a history of sexual abuse was associated with both current and past psychiatric problems and treatment. The relationship of these variables to postoperative outcomes, however, is unknown.
Gustafson
Timothy B
TB
Department of Psychiatry, Weight and Eating Disorders Program, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Gibbons
Lauren M
LM
Sarwer
David B
DB
Crerand
Canice E
CE
Fabricatore
Anthony N
AN
Wadden
Thomas A
TA
Raper
Steven E
SE
Williams
Noel N
NN
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery; D018579:Patient Selection; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs