title: THE PREVALENCE OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AMONG SEXUALLY ABUSED CHILDREN AT KENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITAL IN NAIROBI, KENYA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) develops following some stressful events. There has been increasing recognition that children who have been exposed to traumatic events like child sexual abuse can develop post-traumatic stress disorder just like adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine prevalence of PTSD in sexually abused children seen at the Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre at Kenyatta National Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre-Kenyatta National Hospital. Subjects One hundred and forty-nine (n =149) sexually abused children were recruited in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age 14.8% boys and 85.2% girls was 13.2 years (SD 4.2) the age at which sexual abuse most frequently (55%) occurred between 15-17 years. Sixty three percent of children reported that the perpetrator was known to them, and 76.5% of perpetrators used verbal or physical force during sexual assault. The prevalence of PTSD among the sexually abused children was 49%. PTSD was significantly associated with shorter duration of sexual abuse, i.e., daily which is 67% as compared to months which is 4.7% (p = 0.005), Greater severity of injuries sustained during assault (p = 0.023), parent's marital status those whose parents were married or cohabiting 40% were affected as compared to 52% whose parents were separated or divorced (p = 0.003) and the family's way of sorting out their disagreements was also significantly associated with PTSD. Parents who sorted their disagreement by talking was at 31% while those who sorted their disagreement by fighting was at 67% (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the high prevalence of PTSD among sexually abused children presenting at Kenyatta National Hospital Nairobi-Kenya. PTSD is associated with the degree of physical or verbal abuse during sexual abuse, injuries during assault, and parent-child relationships. These findings are important in formulation of appropriate prevention and care interventions to be implemented by families and other stakeholders.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676-00202, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Ombok
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Obondo
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Kangethe
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Atwoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D015995:Prevalence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control