title: Hypertension in adult survivors of child abuse: observations from the Nurses' Health Study II.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited research has shown a possible association between exposure to physical or sexual abuse prior to age 18 and the risk of developing hypertension as an adult. The factors mediating this relationship are unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire data from 68 505 female participants in the Nurses' Health Study II were analysed regarding exposure to physical and sexual abuse prior to age 18. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the relationship between abuse exposure and hypertension.
  
  
  RESULTS
  64% of the participants (n=41 792) reported physical and/or sexual abuse prior to age 18; 17% reported hypertension. All forms of abuse had a dose-response relationship with hypertension. Adjustments for smoking, alcohol, family history of hypertension, exercise and oral contraceptives did not alter risk estimates. Adjustment for body mass index (BMI) significantly attenuated the associations between abuse and risk of hypertension and accounted for approximately 50% of the observed association between abuse exposure and hypertension. Women experiencing forced sexual activity as a child and as an adolescent had a 20% increased risk for developing hypertension (95% CI 8% to 32%) that was independent of BMI. Similarly, women reporting severe physical abuse in childhood and/or adolescence had risk estimates ranging from 14% (95% CI 5% to 24%) to 22% (95% CI 11% to 33%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early interpersonal violence may be a widespread risk factor for the development of hypertension in women. BMI is a significant mediator in the relationship between early abuse and adult hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. ehriley@partners.org
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Hibert
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Rich-Edwards
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
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