Objective: To determine whether childhood abuse predicts health symptoms and health care use among female veterans.
Methods: Participants were 369 female patients at Veterans Affairs hospitals in New England who completed a mail survey. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the differential impact of childhood physical abuse and childhood sexual abuse on health symptoms and health care use, while accounting for age, race, military branch, and military sexual trauma (MST).
Results: In our sample, 109 (29%) female veterans reported experiencing childhood abuse. After adjusting for age, race, military branch, childhood sexual abuse, and MST, childhood physical abuse was predictive of poorer physical health, and greater depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. No significant association was found between childhood sexual abuse and poor physical or mental health status. After adjusting for other factors, childhood physical abuse was associated with more frequent use of medical health care. Childhood sexual abuse was not a predictor for health care use.
Conclusions: Childhood physical abuse remains an important contributor to physical health and mental health, even after adjusting for the more proximate experience of MST. Screening for adverse childhood experiences may facilitate access to appropriate physical and mental health treatment among female veterans.
Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.