[Factors for sexual abuse during childhood and adolescence in students of Morelos, Mexico].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence.


METHODS
Study conducted in a sample of students in the state of Morelos, Mexico, in 2004-2005. Participants (n=1730) were drawn from a cohort of 13,293 students aged 12 to 24 years. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire comprising parts of validated scales. The variables studied were: sociodemographic (gender, living area, socioeconomic status), family (parental education, parental addictions, violence between parents), individual psychological factors (self-esteem assessed using the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, depression, alcohol consumption), intrafamily violence (assessed through Strauss Scale) and sexual abuse. Multiple logistic regression assessed the risk factors associated. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals were estimated.


RESULTS
Of all students studied, 4.7% (n=80) reported attempted sexual abuse and 2.9% (n=50) were victims of consummated sexual abuse. Women had higher prevalence of attempted (6.1%) abuse; 3.6% of females and 1.9% of men were sexually abused. Main perpetrators were boyfriends in women and a stranger in men. Mean age was 12.02 years old among females and 11.71 years old among men. Factors found to be associated with abuse: high parental alcohol consumption (OR = 3.37, 95% CI 1.40;8.07), violence toward the mother (OR = 4.49, 95% CI 1.54;13.10), female gender (OR = 2.47, 95% CI 1.17;5.24), being a victim of great domestic violence (OR = 3.58, 95% CI 1.32;9.67). High self-esteem was a protective factor (OR = 0.27, 95% CI 0.09;0.75).


CONCLUSIONS
Overall sexual abuse occurs at the age of 12 in both males and females, and it is more frequent among females. Most victims do not report abuse.
Chavez Ayala
Ruben
R
Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Rivera-Rivera
Leonor
L
Angeles-Llerenas
Angélica
A
Díaz-Cerón
Eva
E
Allen-Leigh
Betania
B
Ponce
Eduardo Lazcano
EL
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003710:Demography; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students; D055815:Young Adult