Abstract
BackgroundFew representative sample studies have reported estimates of bullying and sexual abuse in Australia. By using face-to-face interviews and self-labelling questions, we investigated the prevalence of these forms of abuse and their relationship with current harmful behaviours (smoking dependence, excessive alcohol intake, binge eating), antidepressant use, and the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) components of health-related quality of life.MethodsThis study was a population-based survey that investigated 2873 South Australians in 2015 (48.8 ± 18.1 years; 49.3% males). Bullying and sexual abuse (age of onset and duration) and their outcomes were investigated through household interviews. Associations were adjusted for sociodemographic variables by using regression models.Results45.6% (95% CI 43.3–47.9) of the participants were bullied, and 10.4% (95% CI 9.1–11.9) sexually abused; 7.3% (95% CI 6.2–8.5) reported experiencing both forms of abuse. Moreover, 15.8% of those bullied and 15.0% of those sexually abused suffered from these forms of abuse for > 24 months. Smoking dependence (7.8%) was twice as frequent among those who experienced bullying for > 24 months or when sexual abuse occurred in childhood (< 10 years) or adulthood (20+ years) or lasted ≥1 month. Excessive alcohol intake (14.3%) was more frequent when bullying occurred in childhood or lasted > 24 months. Binge eating (8.1%) was more frequent among those bullied or sexually abused in adulthood, but duration did not show a clear pattern. Antidepressant use was up to four times more likely, and PCS or MCS lower among those who were bullied or sexually abused, independent of when these forms of abuse started or their duration. The cumulative adverse relationship of bullying and sexual abuse with the investigated outcomes was more evident for smoking dependence, binge eating, PCS, and MCS than for antidepressant use, but no association was observed with alcohol intake.ConclusionsThe use of self-labelling questions to investigate sensitive areas such as bullying and sexual abuse in a survey is feasible. Such questions provided estimates that are consistent with findings from studies using more detailed instruments. Bullying and sexual abuse have an additive adverse association with various outcomes. Identifying survivors of both forms of abuse is important to avoid more serious consequences.
Highlights
Few representative sample studies have reported estimates of bullying and sexual abuse in Australia
45% of all cases of bullying and a similar proportion of sexual abuse cases started in adolescence (10–19 years), while 20.2 and 32.6% started in childhood (< 10 years)
There was evidence of an interaction between sex and age in their association with both forms of abuse (Additional file 2): the rate of bullying was similar in males and females younger than 50 years, but bullying was less frequent among elderly women; Table 1 Sample distribution and prevalencea of bullying and sexual abuse according to sociodemographic variables among individuals aged ≥20 years in South Australia, 2015
Summary
Few representative sample studies have reported estimates of bullying and sexual abuse in Australia. Childhood sexual abuse is one of the most investigated forms of maltreatment and has been identified as a modifiable risk factor for mental disorders across the life course [7]. Sexual abuse is a global problem affecting all age groups, with a prevalence as high as 59% in some low-income countries and a lifetime risk of rape (attempted or completed) of 20% in women and 4% in men [8, 9]. Most studies have focused on the psychological consequences of rape, many of the health implications are applicable to victims of other forms of sexual abuse [7, 8, 10]
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