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THE PREVALENCE OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AMONG SEXUALLY ABUSED CHILDREN AT KENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITAL IN
C A Ombok1, A Obondo, R Kangethe
1Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676-00202, Nairobi, Kenya.
Insights
Nearly half of sexually abused children experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Factors like abuse severity and family conflict significantly increase PTSD risk in these children.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Public Health
Background:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can affect children exposed to traumatic events, including sexual abuse.
- Recognition of PTSD in children is growing, mirroring adult experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in sexually abused children.
- Focus on children attending the Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional descriptive study design was employed.
- 149 sexually abused children were recruited from the Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of PTSD among sexually abused children was 49%.
- PTSD prevalence was significantly associated with daily abuse, greater injury severity, parental separation/divorce, and family conflict resolution methods (fighting vs. talking).
- The mean age of participants was 13.2 years, with 55% of abuse occurring between 15-17 years.
Conclusions:
- This study reveals a high prevalence of PTSD in sexually abused children at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
- PTSD in this population is linked to the severity of abuse, physical injuries, and parent-child relationship dynamics.
- Findings underscore the need for targeted prevention and care interventions for families and stakeholders.
Background:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) develops following some stressful events. There has been increasing recognition that children who have been exposed to traumatic events like child sexual abuse can develop post-traumatic stress disorder just like adults.
Objective:
To determine prevalence of PTSD in sexually abused children seen at the Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Design:
A cross sectional descriptive study.
Setting:
Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre-Kenyatta National Hospital. Subjects One hundred and forty-nine (n =149) sexually abused children were recruited in the study.
Results:
The mean age 14.8% boys and 85.2% girls was 13.2 years (SD 4.2) the age at which sexual abuse most frequently (55%) occurred between 15-17 years. Sixty three percent of children reported that the perpetrator was known to them, and 76.5% of perpetrators used verbal or physical force during sexual assault. The prevalence of PTSD among the sexually abused children was 49%. PTSD was significantly associated with shorter duration of sexual abuse, i.e., daily which is 67% as compared to months which is 4.7% (p = 0.005), Greater severity of injuries sustained during assault (p = 0.023), parent's marital status those whose parents were married or cohabiting 40% were affected as compared to 52% whose parents were separated or divorced (p = 0.003) and the family's way of sorting out their disagreements was also significantly associated with PTSD. Parents who sorted their disagreement by talking was at 31% while those who sorted their disagreement by fighting was at 67% (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
This study highlights the high prevalence of PTSD among sexually abused children presenting at Kenyatta National Hospital Nairobi-Kenya. PTSD is associated with the degree of physical or verbal abuse during sexual abuse, injuries during assault, and parent-child relationships. These findings are important in formulation of appropriate prevention and care interventions to be implemented by families and other stakeholders.