@article{ref1,
title="Childhood sexual abuse and eating disorders in females: findings from the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study",
journal="Archives of pediatrics and adolescent medicine",
year="2008",
author="Sanci, Lena and Coffey, Claire and Olsson, Craig and Reid, Shyanne and Carlin, John B. and Patton, George",
volume="162",
number="3",
pages="261-267",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) before the age of 16 years and later onset of bulimia and anorexia nervosa symptoms in females. DESIGN: A longitudinal cohort study of adolescents observed from August 1992 to March 2003. The cohort was defined in a 2-stage cluster sample using 44 Australian schools in Victoria. SETTING: Population based. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1936 persons participated at least once and survived to the age of 24 years, including 999 females. The mean (SD) age of females at the start of follow-up was 14.91 (0.39) years; and at completion, 24.03 (0.55) years. Main Exposure Self-reported CSA before the age of 16 years was ascertained retrospectively at the age of 24 years. OUTCOME MEASURES: Incident Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition)-defined partial syndromes of anorexia and bulimia nervosa were identified between waves 4 (mean age, 16.3 years) and 6 (mean age, 17.4 years) using the Branched Eating Disorder Test. RESULTS: The incidence of bulimic syndrome during adolescence was 2.5 (95% confidence interval, 0.80-8.0) times higher among those who reported 1 episode of CSA and 4.9 (95% confidence interval, 1.9-12.7) times higher among those who reported 2 or more episodes of CSA, compared with females reporting no episodes, adjusted for age and background factors. The association persisted after adjusting for possible confounders or mediators measured 6 months earlier, including psychiatric morbidity and dieting behavior. There was little evidence of an association between CSA and partial syndromes of incident anorexia nervosa. CONCLUSION: Childhood sexual abuse seems to be a risk factor for the development of bulimic syndromes, not necessarily mediated by psychiatric morbidity or severe dieting.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1072-4710",
doi="10.1001/archpediatrics.2007.58",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2007.58"
}