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Lee N, Pigott TD, Watson A, Reuben K, O'Hara K, Massetti G, Fang X, Self-Brown S. Childhood Polyvictimization and Associated Health Outcomes: A Systematic Scoping Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:1579-1592. [PMID: 35220817 DOI: 10.1177/15248380211073847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Background: Polyvictimization, the experience of multiple types of victimization, is associated with detrimental health outcomes. Despite extensive research on the health consequences of polyvictimization, one challenge in understanding this literature lies in the varied operationalized definitions of polyvictimization and health outcomes. This scoping review provides the volume of the current literature on this topic, documents the varied constructs of polyvictimization and associated health outcomes, identifies knowledge gaps, and guides future research directions. Method: A systematic search of English-language original articles that presented quantitative associations of childhood polyvictimization and health outcomes was performed through six-database searches, a gray literature search, and citation mining from June 2020 to January 2021. The varied constructs of polyvictimization, health outcomes, and other study characteristics were extracted. Results: A total of 96 studies were included. Two ways of creating continuous variables (30.21%) and four ways of constructing categorical variables (72.92%) were identified for operationalizing polyvictimization. The majority of health outcomes were mental, behavioral, or social (96.88%), while slightly more than 10% of studies examined physical health (11.46%) or general health conditions (10.42%), respectively. More than half of studies used U.S. samples (56.25%). Conclusions: The varied constructs of polyvictimization suggests that there is a need to establish a valid polyvictimization construct that is consistently agreed upon in the research community. Findings summarize the specific health outcomes that can be targeted for further investigation and prevention efforts. Findings also suggest that the study of resilience and coping education for childhood polyvictims is sorely needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- NaeHyung Lee
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Research on Interpersonal Violence, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Terri Deocampo Pigott
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- College of Education & Human Development, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ashley Watson
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Research on Interpersonal Violence, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Katherine Reuben
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Research on Interpersonal Violence, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kathryn O'Hara
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Research on Interpersonal Violence, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Greta Massetti
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Xiangming Fang
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Research on Interpersonal Violence, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shannon Self-Brown
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Research on Interpersonal Violence, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Ouma S, Abbo C, Natala N, McCoy M, Kroupina M. Victimization among adolescents of female sex workers: findings from the children of at-risk parents (CARP) study in Uganda. BMC Pediatr 2023; 23:311. [PMID: 37340336 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-023-04131-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Female sex workers (FSWs) live and work in high-risk environments, experience high levels of adversity, and have multigenerational trauma that can negatively affect their children. Yet not much is known about the prevalence of victimization (i.e., exposure to maltreatment and trauma) among children of FSWs. This study compared the prevalence of lifetime victimization among adolescents of FSWs and adolescents of non-FSWs in Gulu City, Northern Uganda. METHODS A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents (10-17 years) enrolled in the Children of At-Risk Parents (CARP) study. This study included 147 adolescents of FSWs and 147 adolescents of non-FSWs selected for comparison in Gulu City, Northern Uganda. The adolescents of FSWs were identified through their mothers using respondent-driven sampling. Data on the residence of FSWs guided a proportionate stratified sampling of adolescents of non-FSWs. Using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire, we screened for 34 different types of victimization during participants' lifetimes. Percentage point differences within groups of adolescents and comparison between adolescents of FSWs and non-FSWs were calculated using STATA version 14.1. Statistical significance was set to p < 0.05. RESULTS 99.3% of the participants experienced at least one form of lifetime victimization. The median number of lifetime victimizations was 12.4. Overall, lifetime victimization was higher among adolescents of FSWs than non-FSWs (13.4 vs. 11.5), male vs. female adolescents (13.4 vs. 11.9), and older [14-17 years] vs. younger (10-13 years) adolescents (14.0 vs. 11.7). Further, more adolescents of FSWs experienced lifetime victimization in the following domains and subdomains, all of which were statistically significant: kidnap (15.8% vs. 4.8%), emotional abuse (65.8% vs. 50.0%), emotional neglect (37.4% vs. 21.1%), physical intimidation (10.2% vs. 4.1%), relational aggression (36.4% vs. 18.4%), verbal aggression (68.7% vs. 46.9%), sexual victimization (31.3% vs. 17.7%), verbal sexual harassment (20.4% vs. 5.4%), exposure to murder scene (42.9% vs. 26.5%), witness to domestic violence (39.5% vs. 26.5%), and witness to the murder of relatives (31.3% vs. 21.1%). Conversely, more adolescents of non-FSWs experienced caregiver victimization than the adolescents of FSWs (98.0 vs. 92.5; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Childhood victimization is highly prevalent in Northern Uganda and disproportionately affects the adolescents of FSWs. Therefore, government and development partners should urgently develop policies and interventions targeting prevention, early detection, and timely management of victimization in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simple Ouma
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda.
- Department of Research, The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Catherine Abbo
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Nakita Natala
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA
| | - Molly McCoy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA
| | - Maria Kroupina
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA
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