Citation

Nguyen KH, Kegler SR, Chiang L, Kress H. Violence Vict. 2019; 34(2): 229-242.

Affiliation

Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Springer Publishing)

DOI

10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-17-00182

PMID

31019010

Abstract

Children's exposure to poly-victimization, which is the experience of multiple types of victimization, has been found to be associated with negative health outcomes and risk behaviors. We examined the collective effects of childhood sexual, physical, and emotional violence on selected self-reported health outcomes among young Kenyan females and males using the Violence Against Children Survey (VACS). Overall, 76.2% of females and 79.8% of males were victims of sexual, physical, or emotional violence prior to age 18, and one-third (32.9% and 34.5%, respectively) experienced two or more types of violence. Poly-victimization was significantly associated with current feelings of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts in females and males, as well as self-reported fair or poor health in males (p <.05) as compared to those who experienced no violence. The study data demonstrate an urgent need to reduce all types of violence against children, as well develop appropriate strategies for its prevention.

© Copyright 2019 Springer Publishing Company, LLC.

Language: en

Keywords

Kenya; global health; mental health outcomes; poly-victimization; violence