A Prospective Study of Childhood Social Hardships and Age at Menarche

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dc.contributor.authorBoynton-Jarrett, R., & Harville, E. W.
dc.date.accessioned2014-11-14T14:29:55Z
dc.date.available2014-11-14T14:29:55Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractPurpose: To determine the role of type, timing, and cumulative childhood hardships on age at menarche in a prospective cohort study. Methods: Longitudinal analysis of 4,524 female participants of the National Child Development Study cohort (1958 – 2003). Six types of childhood hardships were identified with a factor analysis methodology: financial, family dysfunction, caregiver low interest in education, lack of supportive caregiving, neglectful environment, and family structure disruption. Paternal absence/low involvement in childhood was an a priori hardship. Retrospective reports of abuse in childhood were explored in relation to age at menarche, also. Generalized logit regression analyses explored the impact of type, timing, and cumulative hardships on age at menarche (≤11, 12–13, ≥14 years). Results: Cumulative childhood hardships were associated with a graded increase in risk for later menarche with adjusted OR [AOR] of 1.37 (95%CI: 1.10, 1.70), 1.50 (95%CI: 1.18, 1.91), and 1.58 (95%CI: 1.29, 1.92) among those with 2, 3, and ≥4 adversities, respectively. More than 2 hardships in early life had the strongest association with late menarche (AOR=2.32, 95%CI: 1.12, 4.80). Sexual abuse was most strongly associated with early menarche (AOR=2.60, 95%CI: 1.40, 4.81). Conclusion: Cumulative childhood hardships increased risk for later age at menarche. Child abuse was associated with both early and late menarche, although associations varied by type of abuse. Critical period of exposure, type, and chronicity of hardships demonstrate varying degrees of influence on age at menarche. (Author Abstract)en_US
dc.identifier.citationBoynton-Jarrett, R., & Harville, E. W. (2012). A prospective study of childhood social hardships and age at menarche. Annals of epidemiology, 22(10), 731-737.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3469794/pdf/nihms405357.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11212/1821
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherAnnals of epidemiologyen_US
dc.subjectchild abuseen_US
dc.subjectneglecten_US
dc.subjectsexual abuseen_US
dc.subjectlong term effectsen_US
dc.subjectresearchen_US
dc.subjectadversityen_US
dc.subjectsocioeconomic statusen_US
dc.titleA Prospective Study of Childhood Social Hardships and Age at Menarcheen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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