The association of parental alcoholism and rigidity with chronic illness and abuse among women.

BACKGROUND

This study determined whether women in a primary care practice who described one or both of their parents as alcohol dependent (group A) or harsh, rigid, or difficult (group B) were more likely to have chronic illness than women who denied having parents with these characteristics (group C).

METHODS

A consecutive sample of 120 women scheduled for comprehensive physical examinations were interviewed to determine parental characteristics, demographic data (age, education, employment, and marital status), and clinical information (chronic illness and lifetime surgeries). In addition, all women were asked standardized questions about sexual and physical abuse.

RESULTS

The overall difference among the groups for women with a history of chronic illness was significant (P less than .001). More women in groups A (55%) and B (48%) were identified with chronic illness than in group C (18%). Women in groups A and B also reported more sexual and physical abuse (32% and 44%, respectively) than women in group C (8% [P less than .001]). Women identifying abuse were diagnosed with more chronic illness (67%, compared with 25% [P less than .001]) and more lifetime surgeries (3.3 compared with 1.75 [P less than .05]) than women denying abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

Parental alcoholism and parental rigidity were associated with increased prevalence of chronic illness and physical or sexual abuse among women patients.