Epidemiology and consequences of women's revictimization.
This study uses Kraemer's approach for nonrandom comorbidity to identify the parameters of revictimization among women, using a diverse, population-based sample. Participants (n = 11,056) are from the California Women's Health Survey. Women were asked about childhood and adult violence and current symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Logistic regressions adjusted for age, ethnicity, education, and poverty indicate that women who experienced childhood physical or sexual abuse were 5.8 (95% confidence interval, 5.2-6.4) times more likely to experience adult physical or sexual victimization. Revictimization affected 12% of women, and these women were substantially more likely to report current symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD than women exposed to violence only in childhood or only as an adult. Revictimization is a methodologically distinct concept and is a potent risk factor for adult mental health problems. Prevention should target women exposed to both physical and sexual assault.
Kimerling
Rachel
R
VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. Rachel.kimerling@med.va.gov
Alvarez
Jennifer
J
Pavao
Joanne
J
Kaminski
Amy
A
Baumrind
Nikki
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016387:Women's Health