Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1998 Oct;179(4):1013-9.
Prevalence of sexual assault history among women with common gynecologic
symptoms.
Golding JM, Wilsnack SC, Learman LA.
Institute for Health and Aging, Department of Social and Behavioral
Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of a sexual assault history among women with and without 3 common gynecologic complaints: dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, and sexual dysfunction. STUDY
Design:
Data came from 3 surveys of women randomly selected from general populations: 2 United States regional samples (n = 1428 and n = 1703) and 1 national sample (n = 963). Prevalence rates and adjusted odds ratios were calculated and combined across the 3 samples with a meta-analysis.
Results:
The prevalence of an assault history ranged from 6% to 26% among women with 1 symptom to 13% to 40% among women with 3 symptoms. Symptoms were associated with increased odds of an assault history for women 18 to 34 years old (odds ratio 1.90, 95% confidence interval 1.56 to 2.32), 35 to 44 years old (odds ratio 1.99, 95% confidence interval 1.57 to 2.53), and >54 years old (odds ratio 1.37, 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 1.80). Symptoms were unrelated to sexual assault history for women in the perimenopausal (45 to 54 years) age group (odds ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.71 to 1.24). Symptom level was unrelated to having disclosed assaults to a physician (odds ratio 1.17, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 1.62).
Conclusions:
Women in the general population with common gynecologic complaints are at a substantially increased risk of having a history of sexual assault.
