This is a rough article. It talks about child abuse, sexual & physical, as predictors for HIV. Duke University did a two-year study in the southeast USA & found that childhood abuse correlated to lessened health expectations later in life. Half of these patients had been victims of or confronted by physical abuse. 25% of them had been sexually abused.
The psychological impact of these events leaves these people with less self esteem & a higher aptitude for risky behaviors. This affects their decision making when it comes to engaging in unprotected sex & seeking out medical attention. The people in this study who had experienced this background were less apt to stick to their regimens, more apt to see their situation worsen & even had a higher rate of death.
These people suffer from PTSD, depression & a host of other mental/emotional problems. They often don't see themselves as worthy of the effort to get treatment. They see themselves differently than those who have never endured abuse. Many self-medicate with drugs, alcohol or risk-based behaviors.
These battered children often become broken adults incapable of coping with life in a manner that won't inflict further harm on their person/psyche. Even if they have recovered physically from the abuse, the memories, anger, loneliness, pain & feelings of being unworthy remain. Abuse shapes a child for the rest of it's life. This is a horrifying, but not surprising, discovery.
Cya
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