title: Prevalence and predictors of self-reported sexual abuse in severely obese patients in a population-based bariatric program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexual abuse may be associated with poorer weight loss outcomes following bariatric treatment. Identifying predictors of abuse would enable focused screening and may increase weight management success.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from 500 consecutively recruited obese subjects from a population-based, regional bariatric program. The prevalence of self-reported sexual abuse was ascertained using a single interview question. Health status was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify sexual abuse predictors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 43.7 y (SD 9.6), 441 (88.2%) were females, 458 (91.8%) were white, and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 47.9 kg/m(2) (SD 8.1). The self-reported prevalence of past abuse was 21.8% (95% CI 18.4-25.4%). Abused subjects had worse health status (VAS score 53.1 (SD 21.2) versus 58.0 (SD 20.1), P = 0.03). BMI was not associated with abuse (P > 0.5). Age, sex, BMI, and covariate-adjusted independent predictors of abuse included alcohol addiction (adjusted odds ratio 15.8; 95% CI 4.0-62.8), posttraumatic stress disorder (4.9; 2.5-9.5), borderline personality (3.8; 1.0-13.8), depression (2.4; 1.3-4.3), and lower household income (3.4; 1.6-7.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abuse was common amongst obese patients managed in a population-based bariatric program; alcohol addiction, psychiatric comorbidities, and low-income status were highly associated with sexual abuse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2B7.
authors.forename: Danielle L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Gabert
authors.forename: Sumit R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Majumdar
authors.forename: Arya M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Christian F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Rueda-Clausen
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Klarenbach
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.forename: Shahzeer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karmali
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCargar
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fassbender
authors.forename: Raj S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Padwal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss