Psychiatric News (11/14) reported a study found that “individuals who experienced a sexual assault are at higher risk of developing functional somatic disorder (FSD) – widespread issues with fatigue, discomfort, and pain sensitivity – over the subsequent five years.” After adjusting “for variables like sex, emotional distress levels, neuroticism levels, and medical comorbidities,” researchers observed “that individuals exposed to sexual assault had a 69% increased risk of developing an FSD and a 54% increased risk of developing an [functional somatic syndrome] FSS.” In examining individual syndromes, they also “found that somatic repercussions of sexual assault are not equal – sexual assault was associated with chronic widespread pain, for example, but not irritable bowel syndrome or chronic fatigue.” The study was published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Individuals Who Experienced A Sexual Assault Face Increased Risk For Developing Functional Somatic Disorder, Study Finds
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