The role of gender-based violence, health worries, and ambivalent sexism in the development of women's gynecological symptoms

J Health Psychol. 2021 Mar;26(4):567-579. doi: 10.1177/1359105318825292. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Abstract

This article explored the role of a lifetime history of gender-based violence, ambivalent sexism, and gynecological health worries in the development of reproductive and sexual symptoms among women in Kyrgyzstan. Non-pregnant women who were patients of gynecological clinics (N = 143) participated in the study. A positive relationship between the experience of any type of violence (physical, sexual, and emotional) and number of gynecological symptoms was found. Hostile sexism was found to be a predictor of the number of reported symptoms. The number of gynecological health worries was found to fully mediate the relationship between history of gender-based violence and number of gynecological symptoms.

Keywords: ambivalent sexism; gender-based violence; health anxiety; reproductive symptoms; women.

MeSH terms

  • Affect
  • Female
  • Gender-Based Violence*
  • Humans
  • Sexism*
  • Sexual Behavior
  • Violence