The effects of sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence on undergraduate students
ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of adolescents and young adults who were victims of sexual violence at some point in their lives and to compare the presence of depressive and anxious symptoms, quality of life, and use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs among th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade de São Paulo
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Revista de Saúde Pública |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102020000100309&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1798021710870478848 |
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| author | Flávia Calanca da Silva Aline Monge Carlos Alberto Landi Gabriel Amaral Zenardi Denise Chrysostomo Suzuki Maria Sylvia de Souza Vitalle |
| author_facet | Flávia Calanca da Silva Aline Monge Carlos Alberto Landi Gabriel Amaral Zenardi Denise Chrysostomo Suzuki Maria Sylvia de Souza Vitalle |
| author_sort | Flávia Calanca da Silva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of adolescents and young adults who were victims of sexual violence at some point in their lives and to compare the presence of depressive and anxious symptoms, quality of life, and use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs among this population and those who were not abused. METHODS: Validated questionnaires and instruments were applied in a group of university students to assess: sexual profile and behavior, socioeconomic status, presence or not of sexual violence (Questionnaire on Exposure to Traumatizing Events), depressive (Beck Depression Inventory) and anxious symptoms (Beck Anxiety Inventory), quality of life (World Health Organization's Quality of Life Assessment) and the use or abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs (Smoking, Alcohol, and Substance Involvement Screening Test). RESULTS: Out of the 858 students who participated, 71 (8.3%) were victims of sexual violence, 52 girls (73.2%). In the victims of violence group there were more students who already had the first sexual intercourse (p = 0.029), students who already had become pregnant (p = 0.001), students with higher scores for depressive (p < 0.001) and anxious symptoms (p = 0.001), students with worse quality of life (p < 0.001), and who used more tobacco (p = 0.008) and marijuana (p = 0.025) as well as abused hypnotics or sedatives (p = 0.048) than in the non-victim group. CONCLUSION: The abuses are presented in several forms and affect, even in long term, the survivors' life. The sexual violence theme should be addressed and widely discussed in all spheres of society in order to mobilize, to sensitize, and provide society with knowledge, demystifying this subject and drawing attention to this important social issue. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T17:17:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5198226663ea4f6a8ce840d9e9b24390 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1518-8787 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T17:17:55Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Universidade de São Paulo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista de Saúde Pública |
| spelling | doaj.art-5198226663ea4f6a8ce840d9e9b243902022-12-22T04:12:35ZengUniversidade de São PauloRevista de Saúde Pública1518-87872020-12-015410.11606/s1518-8787.2020054002576The effects of sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence on undergraduate studentsFlávia Calanca da Silvahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1489-5127Aline Mongehttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4182-4965Carlos Alberto Landihttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4141-3840Gabriel Amaral Zenardihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6742-4778Denise Chrysostomo Suzukihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1846-1935Maria Sylvia de Souza Vitallehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9405-4250ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of adolescents and young adults who were victims of sexual violence at some point in their lives and to compare the presence of depressive and anxious symptoms, quality of life, and use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs among this population and those who were not abused. METHODS: Validated questionnaires and instruments were applied in a group of university students to assess: sexual profile and behavior, socioeconomic status, presence or not of sexual violence (Questionnaire on Exposure to Traumatizing Events), depressive (Beck Depression Inventory) and anxious symptoms (Beck Anxiety Inventory), quality of life (World Health Organization's Quality of Life Assessment) and the use or abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs (Smoking, Alcohol, and Substance Involvement Screening Test). RESULTS: Out of the 858 students who participated, 71 (8.3%) were victims of sexual violence, 52 girls (73.2%). In the victims of violence group there were more students who already had the first sexual intercourse (p = 0.029), students who already had become pregnant (p = 0.001), students with higher scores for depressive (p < 0.001) and anxious symptoms (p = 0.001), students with worse quality of life (p < 0.001), and who used more tobacco (p = 0.008) and marijuana (p = 0.025) as well as abused hypnotics or sedatives (p = 0.048) than in the non-victim group. CONCLUSION: The abuses are presented in several forms and affect, even in long term, the survivors' life. The sexual violence theme should be addressed and widely discussed in all spheres of society in order to mobilize, to sensitize, and provide society with knowledge, demystifying this subject and drawing attention to this important social issue.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102020000100309&tlng=enAdolescentYoung AdultSexual BehaviorChild Abuse, SexualSex OffensesMental Disorders, epidemiologySubstance-Related Disorders |
| spellingShingle | Flávia Calanca da Silva Aline Monge Carlos Alberto Landi Gabriel Amaral Zenardi Denise Chrysostomo Suzuki Maria Sylvia de Souza Vitalle The effects of sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence on undergraduate students Revista de Saúde Pública Adolescent Young Adult Sexual Behavior Child Abuse, Sexual Sex Offenses Mental Disorders, epidemiology Substance-Related Disorders |
| title | The effects of sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence on undergraduate students |
| title_full | The effects of sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence on undergraduate students |
| title_fullStr | The effects of sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence on undergraduate students |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence on undergraduate students |
| title_short | The effects of sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence on undergraduate students |
| title_sort | effects of sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence on undergraduate students |
| topic | Adolescent Young Adult Sexual Behavior Child Abuse, Sexual Sex Offenses Mental Disorders, epidemiology Substance-Related Disorders |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102020000100309&tlng=en |
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