The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60318

Sandra L. Martin, PhD¹, Neepa Ray², Lawrence L. Kupper, PhD³, Kathryn E. (Beth) Moracco, PhD, MPH⁴, Pamela A. Dickens, BA⁵, Donna Scandlin, MEd⁵, Daniela Sotres Alvarez², and Ziya Gizlice⁶. (1) Department of MCH, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, CB#7445, 401 Rosenau Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7445, 919-966-5973, sandra_martin@unc.edu, (2) Biostatistics Dept, University of North Carolina, CB # 7420, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7420, (3) Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, CB# 7420, McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7420, (4) Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 1229 E. Franklin Street, 2nd Floor, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-3307, (5) North Carolina Office on Disability and Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 8185, Chapel Hill, NC 27705-8185, (6) NC-SCHS, DPH, 1908 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1908

Purpose and Methods: This case-control study is one of the first statewide investigations to examine whether women with disabilities (defined as having a physical, emotional, cognitive, or communication-related impairment) are at enhanced risk of being sexually assaulted (defined as being forced to have sex or to do sexual things). Data were analyzed from female respondents of the Year 2000 and Year 2001 North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, a statewide telephone survey of non-institutionalized residents. Results and Conclusions: A total of 5461 women, ranging from 18 to 99 years of age, were studied. Twenty-six percent of the women had some type of disability. Fifty-two women were cases (women sexually assaulted in the past year) and 5409 were controls (women not sexually assaulted in the past year). Forty-six percent of the women sexually assaulted in the past year had some type of disability compared to only 26% of the women not sexually assaulted in the past year. Sexual assault victims were approximately twice as likely to have some type of disability compared to the non-victimized women (OR=2.42). Subgroup analyses examining various types of disabilities among the sexual assault victims and non-victims suggested that cognitive impairments were especially more likely among the sexual assault victims compared to the non-victims.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) will:
• Be aware of the prevalence of various types of disabilities among women;
• Understand more about the extent of sexual violence in the lives of women with disabilities; and
• Begin to think about how public health professionals may assist women with this issue.

Keywords: Violence, Disability

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.