Adults who experienced physical and sexual abuse in childhood are twice as likely to develop a range of physical and mental health conditions, according to a new study published in Child Maltreatment. The research, conducted by the University of Toronto, reveals that individuals who suffered both forms of abuse in their youth have significantly higher odds of conditions such as angina, arthritis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart attack, depression, and disability in adulthood, even when adjusting for factors like age, race, income, health behaviors, and obesity.
The study found that individuals who endured sexual abuse but not physical abuse were 55% to 90% more likely to experience these health problems compared to those without a history of abuse. Those who were physically abused, but not sexually, also faced elevated odds of developing similar conditions, with risks ranging from 20% to 50% higher than those who were not abused.
Shannon Halls, the study’s lead author and a research coordinator at the University of Toronto’s Institute for Life Course and Aging, highlighted the long-term effects of childhood adversity. “People don’t typically think about the impact early adversities can have on health outcomes later in life,” she said. “Our research underscores the harmful associations between early adversities, such as sexual and/or physical abuse, and a wide range of health issues in adulthood.”
The study also explored whether having a protective adult figure in the home could mitigate the long-term health effects of childhood abuse. Researchers found that when abused children had a protective adult at home, the negative health outcomes they experienced in adulthood were less severe.
Co-author Andie MacNeil, a doctoral student at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW), explained, “When children experiencing abuse had a protective adult in their home, the negative impact of abuse on their health as adults was less severe.” She added that while more research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms, it is clear that such relationships can play a vital role in supporting children and mitigating the adverse health effects of abuse.
The presence of a protective adult was also found to be important for children who had not experienced abuse. Those without a protective adult in their home were 20% to 40% more likely to suffer from adverse physical health outcomes and twice as likely to experience depression in adulthood, regardless of whether they were abused.
Esme Fuller-Thomson, the senior author and a professor at FIFSW, emphasized the critical role of stable adult relationships in child development. “Lacking safe and stable relationships with adults can be just as harmful to children’s health as being physically abused,” she said.
The study’s authors called for further research to explore why some adults are unable to provide adequate protection and to identify interventions that could help create a safer environment for children. Co-author Philip Baiden, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, noted the need for primary prevention strategies that support parents in providing protective environments for their children.
The study used data from the 2021 and 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a large-scale survey that included responses from over 80,000 U.S. adults.
“Our research shows the importance of positive relationships between children and the adults in their lives,” said Halls. “We hope these findings contribute to a better understanding of how to create effective programs for children experiencing abuse.”
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