American Journal of Public Health
Volume 100, Issue 12, 2010, Pages 2442-2449

The relationship of trauma to mental disorders among trafficked and sexually exploited girls and women (Article)

Hossain M.* , Zimmerman C. , Abas M. , Light M. , Watts C.
  • a Gender, Violence and Health Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • b Gender, Violence and Health Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • c Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College, London, United Kingdom
  • d Gender, Violence and Health Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • e Gender, Violence and Health Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

Objectives.We explored the association between traumatic events andmental health among girls and women traf?cked for sexual exploitation. Methods. We used subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire to interview 204 traf?cked girls and women in 7 post-traf?cking service settings. Multivariate logistic regression models based on interview data were ?tted for depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) separately and adjusted for pretraf?cking abuse to determine impact of traf?cking-related trauma exposures. Results. Injuries and sexual violence during traf?cking were associated with higher levels of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Sexual violence was associated with higher levels of PTSD (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=5.6; 95% con?dence interval [CI]=1.3, 25.4).More time in traf?cking was associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety (AOR=2.2; 95% CI=1.1, 4.5). More time since traf?cking was associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety but not of PTSD. Conclusions. Our ?ndings inform the emerging ?eld of mental health care for traf?cked persons by highlighting the importance of assessing severity and duration of traf?cking-related abuses and need for adequate recovery time. Therapies for anxiety, PTSD, and mood disorders in low-resource settings should be evaluated.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

World Health Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Child Abuse, Sexual depression anxiety disorder psychological aspect Wounds and Injuries mental health human Life Change Events middle aged life event injury violence Anxiety Disorders qualitative research health Young Adult Humans Adolescent female questionnaire prostitution child sexual abuse Article Questionnaires adult posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-78649833033&doi=10.2105%2fAJPH.2009.173229&partnerID=40&md5=a41c13fee2fa0cf726843c7a6d7693c5
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.173229
ISSN: 00900036
Cited by: 157
Original Language: English