Obesity – Many SA survivors feel that being obese will make them less attractive and will provide a measure of protection against further sexual attack.

Williamson DF, Thompson TJ, Anda RF, Dietz WH, Felitti VJ. "Adult Body Weight, Obesity, and Self-Reported Abuse in Childhood." International Journal of Obesity. 2002; 26: 1075–1082.

Grilo CM, Masheb RM, Brody M, Toth C, Burke-Martindale CH, Rothschild BS. "Childhood maltreatment in extremely obese male and female bariatric surgery candidates." Obesity Research. 2005 Jan;13(1):123-30.

Gustafson TB, Sarwer DB. "Childhood sexual abuse and obesity." Obesity Reviews. 2004 Aug;5(3):129-35.

Cancer – More research is needed to clarify the relationship between sexual abuse and cancer. However, PNI mechanisms, explained later in this section, may shed light on how cancer might develop in SA survivors.

Bergmark K, Avall-Lundqvist E, Dickman PW, Steineck G, Henningsohn L. "Synergy between sexual abuse and cervical cancer in causing sexual dysfunction." J Sex Marital Ther. 2005 Oct-Dec;31(5):361-83.

Norman, S.B., Means-Christensen, A.J., Craske, M.G., Sherbourne, C.D., Roy-Byrne, P.P., Stein, M.B. (2006). "Associations between Psychological Trauma and Physical Illness in Primary Care." Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19(4), 461-470.

Kahn JA, Huang B, Rosenthal SL, Tissot AM, Burk RD. "Coercive sexual experiences and subsequent human papillomavirus infection and squamous intraepithelial lesions in adolescent and young adult women." J Adolesc Health. 2005 May;36(5):363-71.

Stein MB, Barrett-Connor E. 'Sexual assault and physical health: findings from a population-based study of older adults." Psychosom Med. 2000 Nov-Dec;62(6):838-43.

Berard RM, Boermeester F. 'Psychiatric symptomatology in adolescents with cancer." Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 1998 May-Jun;15(3):211-21.

Heart Disease

Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, Williamson DF, Spitz AM, Edwards V, Koss MP, et al. "Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults." American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 1998; 14:245-258

Dong M, Giles WH, Felitti VJ, Dube, SR, Williams JE, Chapman DP, Anda RF. "Insights into causal pathways for ischemic heart disease: Adverse Childhood Experiences Study." Circulation. 2004; 110:1761-1766.

Diabetes

Golding JM. "Sexual assault history and physical health in randomly selected Los Angeles women." Health Psychol. 1994 Mar;13(2):130-8.

Arthritis

Golding JM. "Sexual assault history and physical health in randomly selected Los Angeles women." Health Psychol. 1994 Mar;13(2):130-8.

Norman, S.B., Means-Christensen, A.J., Craske, M.G., Sherbourne, C.D., Roy-Byrne, P.P., Stein, M.B. (2006). "Associations between Psychological Trauma and Physical Illness in Primary Care." Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19(4), 461-470.

Stein, MB and Barrett-Connor E. "Sexual assault and physical health: findings from a population-based study of older adults." Psychosom Med. 2000 Nov-Dec;62(6):838-43.


Migraines/ headaches

Shuper A, Zeharia Z, Mimouni M. "Migraine headaches induced by sexual abuse." Headache. 1994 Apr;34(4):237

Golding JM. "Sexual assault history and headache: five general population studies." J Nerv Ment Dis. 1999 Oct;187(10):624-9.

Felitti VJ. "Long-term medical consequences of incest, rape, and molestation." South Med J. 1991 Mar;84(3):328-31

Leserman J, Li Z, Drossman DA, Hu YJ. "Selected symptoms associated with sexual and physical abuse history among female patients with gastrointestinal disorders: the impact on subsequent health care visits." Psychol Med. 1998 Mar;28(2):417-25.

Skin rash/disturbance

Leserman J, Li Z, Drossman DA, Hu YJ. "Selected symptoms associated with sexual and physical abuse history among female patients with gastrointestinal disorders: the impact on subsequent health care visits." Psychol Med. 1998 Mar;28(2):417-25.

Fibromyalgia

Castro I, Barrantes F, Tuna M, Cabrera G, Garcia C, Recinos M, Espinoza LR, Garcia-Kutzbach A. "Prevalence of abuse in fibromyalgia and other rheumatic disorders at a specialized clinic in rheumatic diseases in Guatemala City." J Clin Rheumatol. 2005 Jun;11(3):140-5.

Weissbecker I, Floyd A, Dedert E, Salmon P, Sephton S. "Childhood trauma and diurnal cortisol disruption in fibromyalgia syndrome." Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2006 Apr;31(3):312-24. Epub 2005 Nov 7

Boisset-Pioro MH, Esdaile JM, Fitzcharles MA. "Sexual and physical abuse in women with fibromyalgia syndrome." Arthritis Rheum. 1995 Feb;38(2):235-41.

Alexander RW, et al. "Sexual and physical abuse in women with fibromyalgia: association with outpatient health care utilization and pain medication usage." Arthritis Care Res. 1998 Apr;11(2):102-15.

Gastrointestinal distress

Felitti VJ. "Long-term medical consequences of incest, rape, and molestation." South Med J. 1991 Mar;84(3):328-31

Leserman J, Li Z, Drossman DA, Hu YJ. "Selected symptoms associated with sexual and physical abuse history among female patients with gastrointestinal disorders: the impact on subsequent health care visits." Psychol Med. 1998 Mar;28(2):417-25.

Norman, S.B., Means-Christensen, A.J., Craske, M.G., Sherbourne, C.D., Roy-Byrne, P.P., Stein, M.B. (2006). "Associations between Psychological Trauma and Physical Illness in Primary Care." Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19(4), 461-470.

Genito-urinary disorders

Leserman J, Li Z, Drossman DA, Hu YJ. "Selected symptoms associated with sexual and physical abuse history among female patients with gastrointestinal disorders: the impact on subsequent health care visits." Psychol Med. 1998 Mar;28(2):417-25.

Chronic pain

Howard FM. "Abuse history and chronic pain in women: I. Prevalences of sexual abuse and physical abuse." Obstet Gynecol. 1995 Jan;85(1):158-9

Walling MK, O'Hara MW, Reiter RC, Milburn AK, Lilly G, Vincent SD. "Abuse history and chronic pain in women: II. A multivariate analysis of abuse and psychological morbidity." Obstet Gynecol. 1994 Aug;84(2):200-6.

Thyroid Disease

Norman, S.B., Means-Christensen, A.J., Craske, M.G., Sherbourne, C.D., Roy-Byrne, P.P., Stein, M.B. (2006). "Associations between Psychological Trauma and Physical Illness in Primary Care." Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19(4), 461-470.

Stein, MB and Barrett-Connor E. "Sexual assault and physical health: findings from a population-based study of older adults." Psychosom Med. 2000 Nov-Dec;62(6):838-43.

Neurological Disease

Norman, S.B., Means-Christensen, A.J., Craske, M.G., Sherbourne, C.D., Roy-Byrne, P.P., Stein, M.B. (2006). "Associations between Psychological Trauma and Physical Illness in Primary Care." Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19(4), 461-470.