TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2014//
TI  - Lifetime victimization and physical health outcomes among lesbian and heterosexual women
JO  - PLoS one
A1  - Andersen, Judith P.
A1  - Hughes, Tonda L.
A1  - Zou, Christopher
A1  - Wilsnack, Sharon C.
SP  - e101939
EP  - e101939
VL  - 9
IS  - 7
N2  - BACKGROUND: Lifetime victimization experiences, including child sexual abuse (CSA), child physical abuse (CPA), adult sexual assault (ASA), and adult physical assault (APA), are associated with health problems. <br><br>PURPOSE: To examine relationships between cumulative victimization and physical health among heterosexual and lesbian women and determine whether these relationships differ by sexual identity. <br><br>METHODS: Large samples of heterosexual (n = 482) and lesbian women (n = 394) were interviewed. Questions included lifetime victimization experiences and physical health problems. <br><br>RESULTS: Compared to women who reported no childhood victimization, those who reported experiencing both CSA and CPA were 44% more likely to report health problems and women who experienced all four types of victimization (CSA, CPA, APA, ASA) were nearly 240% as likely to report physical health problems. Interaction analyses revealed the association between victimization and physical health did not differ by sexual identity. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Although lesbians were more likely to report all types of victimization, results suggest that victimization conferred increased physical health risks regardless of sexual identity.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1932-6203
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0101939
ID  - ref1
ER  -