Self-reported and agency-notified child abuse as a contributor to health anxiety in a population-based birth cohort study at 30-year-follow-up

Steve Kisely; Lane Strathearn; Jake Moses Najman

doi:10.1016/j.jaclp.2022.02.003

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Self-reported and agency-notified child abuse as a contributor to health anxiety in a population-based birth cohort study at 30-year-follow-up

Journal article

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Self-reported and agency-notified child abuse as a contributor to health anxiety in a population-based birth cohort study at 30-year-follow-up

Steve Kisely, Lane Strathearn and Jake Moses Najman

Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Vol.63(5), pp.445-453

02/14/2022

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaclp.2022.02.003

PMID: 35176517

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http://hdl.handle.net/10072/423278View

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Abstract

Health anxiety is a subtype of the older term of hypochondriasis, in which there is worry rather than conviction of having an illness. Information on the association between childhood maltreatment and health anxiety in adulthood often comes from retrospective questionnaires that may be subject to recall bias. There are no prospective data studies using reports to statutory agencies. We therefore assessed the effect on these outcomes at 30-year follow-up using both prospective agency notifications of child abuse and retrospective self-reports in the same birth cohort. At follow-up, there were 2458 adults with data on health anxiety as measured by the Whiteley Index (WI). We also collected details on self-reported abuse with the Child Trauma Questionnaire and linked this to child maltreatment notifications to statutory agencies. The prevalence of self- and agency-reported maltreatment was 600 (24.4%) and 143 (5.8%) respectively. Of the participants, 235 were in the top 10% of WI scores. On adjusted analyses, self-reported maltreatment of all types showed significant associations with increased health anxiety, while this was limited to sexual abuse in the case of agency-reported CM (Adj OR= 2.17; 95%CIs=1.06-4.46; p= 0.034). Effects were strongest in women. Both self- and agency-reported CM showed a significant association with somatic symptoms in adulthood although patterns were different and of varying degrees.

child maltreatment

hypochondriasis

Child abuse

somatic symptoms

illness anxiety

adverse child experiences

Details

Title: Subtitle: Self-reported and agency-notified child abuse as a contributor to health anxiety in a population-based birth cohort study at 30-year-follow-up
Creators: Steve Kisely - School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba 4102, Queensland, Australia; Departments of Psychiatry, Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Canada. Electronic address: s.kisely@uq.edu.au
Lane Strathearn - Stead Family Department of Paediatrics, Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Jake Moses Najman - School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Public Health Building, Herston, 4006, Queensland, Australia
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Vol.63(5), pp.445-453
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaclp.2022.02.003
PMID: 35176517
NLM abbreviation: J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry
ISSN: 2667-2960
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 02/14/2022
Academic Unit: Psychiatry; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics; Neuroscience and Pharmacology
Record Identifier: 9984216632002771

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