Associations of abuse experiences in childhood/adolescence and adulthood to pain, sexual functioning, and mental health among women with urogenital pain

Objective

Urogenital pain affects 14–25 % of women and is predicted by prior abuse. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations of abuse type (sexual, physical, emotional, verbal) and timing (childhood, adolescence, adulthood) on outcomes (depression, anxiety, pain, sexual functioning).

Methods

Women (N = 350; age M = 48.44) presenting with pain at a tertiary women's urology center reported whether they had experienced each type of abuse at each time point and completed outcome measures.

Results

Latent class analysis of abuse types and timings identified a 4-class solution which differed primarily in phase of life for which abuse types (verbal, emotional, and physical, but not sexual) were elevated: 1) little or no abuse throughout life (66.6 %), 2) childhood/adolescent abuse only (14.6 %), 3) adulthood abuse only (8.3 %), or 4) abuse across the life course (10.6 %). Statistical comparisons between classes revealed abuse throughout life or in childhood/adolescence only was associated with depression and abuse throughout life, with anxiety (p < .001, d = 0.48–1.40), compared to no abuse. However, abuse over life or in adulthood only, but not childhood/adolescent only, was associated with pain interference, pain intensity, and low sexual satisfaction (p < .05, d = 0.38–0.77).

Conclusion

These patterns suggest that when abuse occurs may matter differentially in terms of mental and physical health; abuse (especially emotional/verbal and physical) in both childhood and adulthood may predispose to poor mental health, whereas adulthood abuse may be more associated with pain and functioning. One should assess when abuse occurs—including adulthood—in addition to type of abuse to understand its association with outcomes.