Childhood physical abuse linked to arthritis

The study conducted by University of Toronto researchers showed that adults who had experienced physical abuse as children have 56 per cent higher odds of osteoarthritis compared to those who have not been abused.

The researchers searched for link between self-reported childhood physical abuse and a diagnosis of osteoarthritis in the data from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey.

After thoroughly analyzing it, they concluded that there was significant association between childhood physical abuse and osteoarthritis in adulthood.

"We found that 10.2 per cent of those with osteoarthritis reported they had been physically abused as children in comparison to 6.5 per cent of those without osteoarthritis," lead author Esme Fuller-Thomson of U of T's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and Department of Family and Community Medicine, said.

"This study provides further support for the need to investigate the possible role that childhood abuse plays in the development of chronic illness," Fuller-Thomson added.

Also, co-author Sarah Brennenstuhl, a doctoral student at the University of Toronto, added: "We were surprised that the ignificant association between childhood physical abuse and osteoarthritis persisted even after controlling for major otentially confounding factors such as obesity, physical activity levels as well as age, gender, income and race."

The study was published in the November issue of the journal Arthritis Care and Research. (ANI)

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