general population and how they compare. Coincidence, association, and
causation are three very different matters. There are also many people with
cancer who have experienced sexual abuse and or rape, however it is rarely
suggested that their cancer was caused by the abuse.
JAMA. 2009 Aug 5;302(5):550-61.
Sexual abuse and lifetime diagnosis of somatic disorders: a systematic
review and meta-analysis.
Paras ML, Murad MH, Chen LP, Goranson EN, Sattler AL, Colbenson KM, Elamin
MB, Seime RJ, Prokop LJ, Zirakzadeh A.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55906, USA.
CONTEXT: Many patients presenting for general medical care have a history of
sexual abuse. The literature suggests an association between a history of
sexual abuse and somatic sequelae.
OBJECTIVE: To systematically assess the association between sexual abuse and
a lifetime diagnosis of somatic disorders. Data Sources and Extraction A
systematic literature search of electronic databases from January 1980 to
December 2008. Pairs of reviewers extracted descriptive, quality, and
outcome data from included studies. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence
intervals (CIs) were pooled across studies by using the random-effects
model. The I(2) statistic was used to assess heterogeneity.
STUDY SELECTION: Eligible studies were longitudinal (case-control and
cohort) and reported somatic outcomes in persons with and without history of
sexual abuse.
RESULTS: The search identified 23 eligible studies describing 4640 subjects.
There was a significant association between a history of sexual abuse and
lifetime diagnosis of functional gastrointestinal disorders (OR, 2.43; 95%
CI, 1.36-4.31; I(2) = 82%; 5 studies), nonspecific chronic pain (OR, 2.20;
95% CI, 1.54-3.15; 1 study), psychogenic seizures (OR, 2.96; 95% CI,
1.12-4.69, I(2) = 0%; 3 studies), and chronic pelvic pain (OR, 2.73; 95% CI,
1.73-4.30, I(2) = 40%; 10 studies).
There was no statistically significant association between sexual abuse and
a lifetime diagnosis of *fibromyalgia* (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 0.85-3.07, I(2) =
0%; 4 studies), obesity (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 0.88-2.46; I(2) = 71%; 2
studies), or headache (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 0.96-2.31; 1 study).
We found no studies that assessed *syncope*. When analysis was restricted to
studies in which sexual abuse was defined as rape, significant associations
were observed between rape and a lifetime diagnosis of *fibromyalgia* (OR,
3.35; 95% CI, 1.51-7.46), chronic pelvic pain (OR, 3.27; 95% CI,
1.02-10.53), and functional gastrointestinal disorders (OR, 4.01; 95% CI,
1.88-8.57).
CONCLUSION: Evidence suggests a history of sexual abuse is associated with
lifetime diagnosis of multiple somatic disorders.
---------------------------------------------
Send posts to CO-CURE@listserv.nodak.edu
Unsubscribe at http://www.co-cure.org/unsub.htm
Select list topic options at http://www.co-cure.org/topics.htm
---------------------------------------------
Co-Cure's purpose is to provide information from across the spectrum of
opinion concerning medical, research and political aspects of ME/CFS and/or
FMS. We take no position on the validity of any specific scientific or
political opinion expressed in Co-Cure posts, and we urge readers to
research the various opinions available before assuming any one
interpretation is definitive. The Co-Cure website <www.co-cure.org> has a
link to our complete archive of posts as well as articles of central
importance to the issues of our community.
---------------------------------------------
