ERIC Number: EJ1185036
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Aug
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1090-1981
EISSN: N/A
Sexual Violence Victimization among Youth Presenting to an Urban Emergency Department: The Role of Violence Exposure in Predicting Risk
Eisman, Andria B.; Ngo, Quyen M.; Kusunoki, Yasamin Y.; Bonar, Erin E.; Zimmerman, Marc A.; Cunningham, Rebecca M.; Walton, Maureen A.
Health Education & Behavior, v45 n4 p625-634 Aug 2018
Sexual violence (SV) is a widespread public health problem among adolescents and emerging adults with significant short- and long-term consequences. Young people living in urban, disadvantaged communities with high rates of violence may be especially at risk for SV victimization. Understanding interconnections between different forms of violence is critical to reducing SV risk among youth. Participants were youth (N = 599) ages 14 to 24 years (M = 20.05, SD = 2.42) presenting to an urban emergency department with a Level 1 trauma designation as part of a prospective cohort study and followed-up for 24 months. We used logistic regression to examine the probability of reporting SV during the 24-month follow-up based on baseline reports of community and peer violence exposure, accounting for previous SV victimization, substance use, and sociodemographic characteristics. Among youth presenting to an urban emergency department, 22% of youth not seeking care for a sexual assault reported any lifetime SV (forced and/or substance-induced sexual intercourse) at baseline. During the 24-month follow-up, 12% reported SV victimization. We found high community violence exposure (odds ratio [OR] = 2.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.01, 8.68]) and peer violence exposure (OR = 1.58, 95% CI [1.19, 2.08]) were associated with increased odds of reporting SV during follow-up in addition to previous SV victimization (OR = 2.71, 95% CI [1.45, 5.09]). Sex, age, parent education, and alcohol or other drug use at baseline were not associated with odds of SV during follow-up. Investigating interconnections between SV victimization and other forms of violence across socioecological levels provides an opportunity to advance SV research and identify promising avenues for prevention based on other violence prevention research. Future strategies for SV prevention that incorporate community and peer components as well as SV-specific content may help reduce SV victimization among youth living in urban, disadvantaged communities.
Descriptors: Victims of Crime, Sexual Harassment, Violence, Adolescents, Late Adolescents, Regression (Statistics), Followup Studies, Substance Abuse, Antisocial Behavior, Prevention, African Americans, Early Experience, Predictor Variables, Predictive Validity, Adolescent Development, Urban Environment, At Risk Persons, Statistical Analysis
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2814
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (DHHS); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DHHS/PHS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Michigan
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1R01DA024646; R49CE002099