Childhood Abuse Leaves Doubling Risk of Health and Mental Health Issues in Adulthood, Finds Study
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A new study published this week in Child Maltreatment found that in comparison to those who had not been abused in childhood, adults who had experienced both childhood physical and sexual abuse had approximately double the odds of physical and mental health conditions, including angina, arthritis, asthma, COPD, heart attack, depression, and disability -- even after considering respondents’ age, race, income, and health behaviors, as well as obesity.
Those who had been sexually abused, but not physically abused, were 55% to 90% more likely to experience these health outcomes compared to their peers who had not experienced any abuse. Adults who were physically abused, but not sexually abused, also had significantly elevated odds of these health outcomes compared to the non-abused, but the associations were more modest
In exploring this association, the study also examined whether the presence of an adult in the home who made the child feel safe and protected was associated with better long-term health outcomes among children who experienced abuse.
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