Long-term effects of childhood abuse on the quality of life and health of older people: results from the Depression and Early Prevention of Suicide in General Practice Project.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether childhood physical and sexual abuse are associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes in older age.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, postal questionnaire survey.


METHODS
Medical clinics of 383 general practitioners (GPs) in Australia.


METHODS
More than 21,000 older adults (aged > or = 60) currently under the care of GPs participating in the Depression and Early Prevention of Suicide in General Practice (DEPS-GP) Study. Participants were divided into two groups according to whether they acknowledged experiencing childhood physical or sexual abuse.


METHODS
Main outcome measures targeted participants' current physical health (Medical Outcomes Study 12-item Short Form Survey, Version 2 and Common Medical Morbidities Inventory) and mental health (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).


RESULTS
One thousand four hundred fifty-eight (6.7%) and 1,429 participants (6.5%) reported childhood physical and sexual abuse, respectively. Multivariate models of the associations with childhood abuse indicated that participants who had experienced either childhood sexual or physical abuse had a greater risk of poor physical (odds ratio (OR)=1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.21-1.50) and mental (OR=1.89, 95% CI=1.63-2.19) health, after adjustments. Older adults who reported both childhood sexual and physical abuse also had a higher risk of poor physical (OR=1.60, 95% CI=1.33-1.92) and mental (OR=2.40, 95% CI=1.97-2.94) health.


CONCLUSIONS
The effects of childhood abuse appear to last a lifetime. Further research is required to improve understanding of the pathways that lead to such deleterious outcomes and ways to minimize its late-life effects.
Draper
Brian
B
School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Pfaff
Jon J
JJ
Pirkis
Jane
J
Snowdon
John
J
Lautenschlager
Nicola T
NT
Wilson
Ian
I
Almeida
Osvaldo P
OP
D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D000092864:Suicide Prevention