title: Victimization, smoking, and chronic physical health problems among sexual minority women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexual minority women (SMW) have been shown to be at increased risk for abuse, smoking, and chronic physical health problems compared with heterosexual women. In the general population, abuse and smoking are associated with physical health problems. However, there has been little research on their associations among SMW.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study examined a mediational model of abuse, smoking, and self-reported physical health conditions in a national sample of SMW.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N = 1,224) were recruited via the Internet and completed measures of childhood trauma, adult sexual assault, smoking, body mass index, and chronic medical conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structural equation modeling demonstrated that childhood abuse was associated with adult sexual assault, smoking, and physical health problems, but smoking was not a significant mediator.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results highlight the impact of childhood abuse on physical health problems among SMW and the need to examine other health behaviors that may mediate this relation.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. klehavot@u.washington.edu
authors: Keren
authors: K
authors: Lehavot
authors: Jane M
authors: JM
authors: Simoni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D057566:Self Report; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health