Health of homeless women with recent experience of rape

There is limited understanding of the physical health, mental health, and s ubstance use or abuse correlates of sexual violence against homeless women. This study documents the association of rape with health and substance use or abuse characteristics reported by a probability sample of 974 homeless women in Los Angeles. controlling for potential confounders, women who repo rted rape fared worse than those who did not on every physical and mental h ealth measure and were also more likely to have used and abused drugs other than alcohol. Results should serve to alert clinicians about groups of hom eless women who may benefit from rape screening and treatment interventions .