Relation of criminal victimization to health perceptions among women medical patients

Survey responses from 2,291 women (45% response rate), 57% of whom had experienced crime, were analyzed by hierarchical multiple regression, which indicated that criminal victimization was an important predictor of health perceptions even after accounting for the contributions of demographics and other stressful life events with known links to illness. Validity was supported because medical care was actually sought by 92% of crime victims during the First year following the crime and by 100% during the Second year. (Abstract amended)