Harsh physical punishment in childhood and adult physical health.
BACKGROUND
The use of physical punishment is controversial. No studies have comprehensively examined the relationship between physical punishment and several physical health conditions in a nationally representative sample. The current study investigated possible associations between harsh physical punishment (ie, pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping, and hitting) in the absence of more severe child maltreatment (ie, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, and exposure to intimate partner violence) and several physical health conditions.


METHODS
Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions collected in 2004 and 2005 (n = 34,226 in the current analysis). The survey was conducted with a representative US adult population sample (20 years or older). Eight past year physical health condition categories were assessed. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic variables, family history of dysfunction, and Axis I and II mental disorders.


RESULTS
Harsh physical punishment was associated with higher odds of cardiovascular disease (borderline significance), arthritis, and obesity after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, family history of dysfunction, and Axis I and II mental disorders (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.20 to 1.30).


CONCLUSIONS
Harsh physical punishment in the absence of child maltreatment is associated with some physical health conditions in a general population sample. These findings inform the ongoing debate around the use of physical punishment and provide evidence that harsh physical punishment independent of child maltreatment is associated with a higher likelihood of physical health conditions.
['Afifi|Tracie O|TO|', 'Mota|Natalie|N|', 'MacMillan|Harriet L|HL|', 'Sareen|Jitender|J|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D000374:Aggression D001168:Arthritis D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases D002648:Child D002649:Child Abuse D002668:Child Rearing D002908:Chronic Disease D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D054541:Family Conflict D005260:Female D006305:Health Status Indicators D006306:Health Surveys D006801:Humans D016013:Likelihood Functions D008297:Male D008350:Manitoba D001523:Mental Disorders D008875:Middle Aged D009765:Obesity D016017:Odds Ratio D010554:Personality Disorders D011678:Punishment D012737:Sex Factors D013223:Statistics as Topic D055815:Young Adult
physical health mental disorders cardiovascular disease arthritis obesity BMI child abuse child neglect personality disorders physical discipline