The Effects of Sexual Orientation on the Relationship Between Victimization Experiences and Smoking Status Among US Women.
This study examined the relationships between experiences of childhood and adulthood victimization and current smoking among heterosexual and sexual minority women. The main hypothesis was that victimization experiences would predict current smoking status. Further, we hypothesized that the effect of childhood victimization on self-reported smoker status would be mediated by adult victimization.



Data are from two studies conducted in the United States that used similar methods and questionnaires in order to conduct a comparative analysis of women based on sexual orientation. Data from Wave 1 (2000-2001) of the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women (CHLEW) study and from Wave 5 (2001) of the National Study of Health and Life Experiences of Women (NSHLEW) study were used in these analyses.



Twenty-eight percent of the sample reported current smoking. Victimization experiences were common, with 63.4% of participants reporting at least one type of victimization in childhood and 40.2% reporting at least one type in adulthood. Women who identified as heterosexual were less likely to be victimized during childhood than were women who identified as lesbian or bisexual. Adult victimization had a significant effect on current smoker status, and the effect of childhood victimization on smoker status was mediated by adult victimization. When examined by sexual orientation, this indirect relationship remained significant only among bisexual women in the sample.



Study findings make a valuable contribution to the literature on victimization and health risk behaviors such as smoking. Given the negative and long-term impact of victimization on women, strategies are needed that reduce the likelihood of victimization and subsequent engagement in health risk behaviors such as smoking.



The study findings make a valuable contribution to the literature on sexual minority women's health on the influence of victimization on health risk behaviors. With the goal of reducing the likelihood of adult victimization and subsequent engagement in health risk behaviors, programs and policies aimed at preventing victimization of women are warranted. Providers and community health agencies should assess and target physically and sexually abused sexual minority youth for mental health intervention with the goal of interrupting the progression from childhood victimization to adult victimization and subsequent engagement in health risk behaviors.
Department of Health Systems Sciences, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
Alicia K
AK
Matthews
Department of community and behavioral health promotion, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Zilber School of Public Health, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion, Milwaukee, WI.
Young Ik
YI
Cho
Department of Health Systems Sciences, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
Tonda L
TL
Hughes
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND.
Sharon C
SC
Wilsnack
Rush University Medical Center, Department of Behavioral Studies, Chicago, IL.
Frances
F
Aranda
Department of Behavioral Studies, Survey Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
Timothy
T
Johnson
D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000523:psychology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health / Q000639:trends