017 Interpersonal Violence, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Aging-Related Genitourinary Dysfunction in an Ethnically-Diverse, Community-Based Sample of Women

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and exposure to interpersonal violence are associated with genitourinary complaints among younger women, but little is known about the prevalence or impact of trauma experiences among midlife and older women. We examined the strength and direction of relationships between PTSD and interpersonal violence with aging-related genitourinary symptoms in midlife and older women. Data were drawn from a multiethnic cohort of women aged 40 to 80 years enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, a large integrated health care system. PTSD symptoms and lifetime history of interpersonal violence exposures (physical and emotional intimate partner violence, sexual assault) were assessed using standardized, structured-item questionnaire measures, including the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version. Aging-related genitourinary symptoms (urinary incontinence, nocturia, vaginal pain with sexual intercourse, vaginal irritation, and vaginal soreness) were assessed using structured-item questionnaire measures. Multivariable logistic regression models examined associations between PTSD or interpersonal violence exposures with aging-related genitourinary dysfunction, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, menopausal status, and hormone therapy.