title: Pain and somatic symptoms are sequelae of sexual assault: results of a prospective longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cross-sectional studies have shown that chronic musculoskeletal pain and somatic symptoms are frequently reported by sexual assault (SA) survivors; however, prospective studies examining pain and somatic symptoms in the months after SA have not been performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women SA survivors 18 years of age or older who presented for care within 48 h of SA were recruited. Pain in eight body regions (head and face, neck, breast, arms, abdomen, back, genital and pelvic, and legs) and 21 common somatic symptoms (e.g., headache, nausea, insomnia, persistent fatigue) were assessed (0-10 numeric rating scale in each body region) at the time of presentation, 1-week, 6-week and 3-month interview. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were assessed at the 6-week and 3-month interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinically significant new or worsening pain (CSNWP) symptoms were common among study participants 6 weeks after SA [43/74, 58% (95% CI, 47-69%)] and 3 months after SA [40/67, 60% (95% CI, 48-71%)] and generally occurred in regions not experiencing trauma. Women SA survivors also experienced an increased burden of many common somatic symptoms: 8/21 (38%) and 11/21 (52%) common somatic symptoms showed a significant increase in severity 6 weeks and 3 months after SA, respectively. Correlations between PTSD, CSNWP and somatic symptoms were only low to moderate, suggesting that these outcomes are distinct.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New and/or clinically worsening pain and somatic symptoms, lasting at least 3 months, are sequelae of SA. Further studies investigating pain and somatic symptoms after SA are needed.
authors.affiliation: TRYUMPH Research Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ulirsch
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Ballina
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Soward
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hauda
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Holbrook
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Batts
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Collette
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McLean
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult