Sexual harassment in the Marines, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and perceived health: evidence for sex differences.
Sex differences and pretrauma functioning have been understudied in examinations of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PSS) and health. This study examined relationships between sexual harassment and assault in the military (MST), PSS, and perceived physical health when accounting for pre-MST PSS, pre-MST health, and current depression. Relationships were examined separately in 226 female and 91 male Marines endorsing recent MST (past 6 months). MST predicted increased PSS for women and especially men. For men, higher levels of MST were associated with worse perceived physical health, whereas for women, lower levels of MST were associated with worse perceived health. For men with MST, there was some evidence for the association being partially mediated by PSS, but no mediation was found in women.
Shipherd
Jillian C
JC
VA Boston Healthcare System, National Center for PTSD Women's Health Sciences Division, and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. Jillian.Shipherd@va.gov
Pineles
Suzanne L
SL
Gradus
Jaimie L
JL
Resick
Patricia A
PA
D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D017406:Sexual Harassment / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology