SEXUAL ASSAULT HISTORY AND HEALTH PERCEPTIONS - 7 GENERAL-POPULATION STUDIES

This article uses data from 7 population surveys to evaluate the assoc iation of sexual assault history with health perceptions. It estimates the extent of generalizability across gender, ethnic groups, and stud ies; the extent to which depression accounts for or mediates the assoc iation; and whether some circumstances of assault are more strongly re lated to poor subjective health. Data from each of 18 subsamples of th e surveys were analyzed (pooled N = 10,001; 7,550 women and 2,451 men) , and results were combined by using meta-analysis. Assault was associ ated with poor subjective health (odds ratio [OR] = 1.63, 95% confiden ce interval [CI] = 1.36, 1.95) and this result was consistent regardle ss of gender, ethnicity, or sample. Controlling depression did not mar kedly change this result (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.21, 1.77), indicating that depression did not account for or mediate the assault-health perc eptions association. Multiple assaults and assaults by strangers or sp ouse were most strongly associated with poor subjective health.