Effect of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Gynecologic Care as an Adult

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.psy.48.5.385
• Publication Date: 2007-09-18T19:43:05Z
• Authors: Brigitte Leeners; Ruth Stiller; Emina Block; Gisela Görres; Bruno Imthurn; Werner Rath
• Keywords: Adult; Child Abuse, Sexual; Anxiety; 3. Good health; Women's Health Services; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; 5. Gender equality; Gynecology; Case-Control Studies; Mental Recall; Prevalence; Humans; Female; Child; Referral and Consultation; Switzerland

The study sought to evaluate whether childhood sexual abuse (CSA) experiences significantly affect the gynecologic care received as an adult. A self-administered questionnaire including eight questions on CSA was completed by 85 women exposed to CSA and 170 matched-control women. Women exposed to CSA experienced gynecologic examinations as anxiety-provoking significantly more often and sought more treatment for acute gynecologic problems; 43.5% of these women experienced memories of the original abuse situation during gynecologic consultations. Gynecologic care is particularly distressing for women exposed to CSA.