Citation

Kendall-Tackett K, Marshall R, Ness K. Women Ther. 2003; 26(1-2): 45-56.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1300/J015v26n01_03

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Chronic pain is a common form of disability, and is often reported among women with a history of victimization. In the present study, we combine six pain symptoms into a measure of self-reported pain, and compare women who have experienced child or domestic abuse with those who do not report such a history. A sample of 110 female patients (57 abused, 53 non-abused controls) was drawn from an adult primary-care practice of 905 patients in a small, affluent, predominantly Caucasian community in northern New England. The subjects ranged in age from 18 to 88 (M = 47). Subjects completed a self-administered questionnaire that was used clinically as part of the new-patient work-up. Women who reported either child or domestic abuse were significantly more likely to report pain symptoms than women in the control group. There was no significant difference between women who had experienced domestic abuse vs. child abuse alone. These findings held true even after controlling for depression.

Keywords

child abuse; Chronic pain; victimization; domestic abuse