Citation
Dellor, Elinam (2015). Childhood Maltreatment, Risk of Intimate Partner Violence and Inflammation in Young Adults. American Public Health Association 143rd Annual Meeting and Exposition. Chicago, IL.Abstract
Maltreatment in childhood may leave individuals vulnerable to further victimization in the form of intimate partner violence (IPV), and to poor mental and physical health in adulthood. Victims of maltreatment have a higher risk of developing chronic medical conditions in adult life, including heart disease. Differences may arise through changes in physiological functioning—due to the trauma of maltreatment—that result in higher levels of systemic inflammation over the life course. One biomarker used to detect elevated inflammation levels – C-reaction protein (CRP) - predicts future cardiovascular disease and stroke independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. Examining the relationship between maltreatment, IPV and inflammation is essential to understanding the precursors of chronic disease.The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of childhood maltreatment on CRP and 2) To examine to extent to which IPV in adulthood explains the effects of child maltreatment on CRP. Data for this study come from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of over 15,000 respondents first interviewed in 1994 (grades 7-12) and followed through young adulthood (ages 24-32). Analyses are conducted using Structural Equation Models (SEM). Preliminary results indicate emotional and physical maltreatment are both associated with higher levels of CRP. Young adults reporting childhood maltreatment show an increased risk of physical IPV such that IPV mediates the association between maltreatment and CRP. This study supports the role of childhood experiences of violence in further victimization and poor physical health in adulthood.