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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2007.131599v1 99/S1/S197    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wilson, H. W. Articles by Widom, C. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wilson, H. W. Articles by Widom, C. S. Related Collections Other Chronic Disease Other Child and Adolescent Health Other Race/Ethnicity Sexual Health

Helen W. Wilson, PhD and Cathy S. Widom, PhD

At the time of the study, Helen W. Wilson and Cathy Spatz Widom were with the Department of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Helen W. Wilson, Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 3333 Green Bay Rd, North Chicago, IL 60064 (e-mail: helen.wilson{at}rosalindfranklin.edu).

Objectives. We examined associations between childhood abuse and neglect and the risk in adulthood for sexually transmitted diseases.

Methods. In a prospective cohort design, we matched children aged 0 to 11 years with documented cases of abuse or neglect during 1967 to 1971 with a control group of children who had not been maltreated (754 participants in all) and followed them into adulthood. Information about lifetime history of sexually transmitted diseases was collected as part of a medical status examination when participants were approximately 41 years old.

Results. Childhood sexual abuse increased risk for any sexually transmitted disease (odds ratio [OR] = 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00, 3.77; P = .05) and more than 1 type of sexually transmitted disease (OR = 3.33; 95% CI = 1.33, 8.22; P = .01). Physical abuse increased risk for more than 1 type of sexually transmitted disease (OR = 3.61; 95% CI = 1.39, 9.38; P = .009).

Conclusions. Our results provided the first prospective evidence that child physical and sexual abuse increases risk for sexually transmitted diseases. Early screening and interventions are needed to identify and prevent sexually transmitted diseases among child abuse victims.