Relationship of demographic variables with mental health conditions in a childhood sexual abuse sample in a Victorian sexual assault service

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a prevalent problem with research indicating children and adolescents who experience sexual abuse are more vulnerable to negative life outcomes than those without such experience. Research has demonstrated associations of CSA with a range of negative outcomes, such as mental healthproblems, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide, self-harming, poor education attainment, poor partner relationships, physical health dysfunctions, and unstable employment.

Objective

The current study aimed to fill in a gap in knowledge regarding the relationship between the demographic risk factors of CSA on mental health conditions, using a hospital-based data of 11 years. This is the first data mining study conducted in Victoria.

Methods

Eleven years of public hospital data, data mining was employed to review the electronic medical records of this vulnerable population that had experienced CSA and trauma. The number of children and adolescents in the sample was 1932.

Results

Findings showed that experiencing a mental health condition was associated with six of the studied demographic variables: CSA (OR = 2.01), Disability (OR = 1.79), an experience of Family/Domestic violence (OR = 1.6), older children (OR = 1.19), living in Kinship/Foster Care (OR = 0.63) and the female Gender (OR = 0.63).

Conclusions

Findings contribute to international research on the understanding of the impact of CSA. Knowledge of these risk factors may be helpful in shaping the provision of better treatment of the mental health conditions which can result from CSA..