Child abuse prevalence estimates in Canada; comparisons of nationally representative data from 2012 to 2022: a population-based studyResearch in context
Summary: Background: Up-to-date nationally representative Canadian statistics on child abuse with a focus on sex, sexual identity, and age cohorts are overdue. The objective of the current study was to examine child abuse prevalence estimates (physical abuse, sexual abuse, exposure to intimate part...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | The Lancet Regional Health. Americas |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667193X25000821 |
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| author | Tracie O. Afifi Julie-Anne McCarthy Ana Osorio Lauren MacGowan Tamara L. Taillieu Ashley Stewart-Tufescu Jitender Sareen Harriet L. MacMillan Lil Tonmyr Ian Colman Mark A. Ferro Kelly K. Anderson Jordan Edwards |
| author_facet | Tracie O. Afifi Julie-Anne McCarthy Ana Osorio Lauren MacGowan Tamara L. Taillieu Ashley Stewart-Tufescu Jitender Sareen Harriet L. MacMillan Lil Tonmyr Ian Colman Mark A. Ferro Kelly K. Anderson Jordan Edwards |
| author_sort | Tracie O. Afifi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Background: Up-to-date nationally representative Canadian statistics on child abuse with a focus on sex, sexual identity, and age cohorts are overdue. The objective of the current study was to examine child abuse prevalence estimates (physical abuse, sexual abuse, exposure to intimate partner violence (EIPV), and any child abuse) among adult Canadians, associations with sex (male or female), sexual identity (heterosexual, lesbian or gay, bisexual, or other), and age cohort, and to compare data from 2022 with 2012. Methods: Data were obtained from two Statistics Canada cross-sectional surveys: 1) the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (2012 CCHS-MH; n = 23,395; 18+ years) and 2) the 2022 Mental Health and Access to Care (2022 MHACS; n = 9409; 18+ years). Findings: The prevalence of any child abuse in Canada in 2022 was 34.4%, which was significantly higher compared to 2012 (32.1%; p = 0.006). Among the youngest respondents (18–27 years), the prevalence of any child abuse had also increased from 21.7% in 2012 to 26.8% in 2022 (p = 0.002). Sex and age cohort differences were noted. In addition, those identifying as other than heterosexual generally had increased odds of child abuse experiences (Adjusted Odds Ratios ranging from 1.48 to 3.12). Interpretation: The retrospective self-reported prevalence in 2022 was 2.3 percentage points higher compared to 2012. There continues to be a widespread need to develop approaches focusing on child abuse prevention and response, and to ensure that providers receive training in how to recognize and respond safely to family violence, including child abuse. Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Canada Research Chair. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e1cd0736a848477bbdb2ae3037ca01fc |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2667-193X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Lancet Regional Health. Americas |
| spelling | doaj-art-e1cd0736a848477bbdb2ae3037ca01fc2025-08-20T02:10:09ZengElsevierThe Lancet Regional Health. Americas2667-193X2025-05-014510107210.1016/j.lana.2025.101072Child abuse prevalence estimates in Canada; comparisons of nationally representative data from 2012 to 2022: a population-based studyResearch in contextTracie O. Afifi0Julie-Anne McCarthy1Ana Osorio2Lauren MacGowan3Tamara L. Taillieu4Ashley Stewart-Tufescu5Jitender Sareen6Harriet L. MacMillan7Lil Tonmyr8Ian Colman9Mark A. Ferro10Kelly K. Anderson11Jordan Edwards12Departments of Community Health Sciences and Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Corresponding author. S113-750 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0W5, Canada.Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, CanadaDepartment of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, CanadaDepartment of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, CanadaDepartment of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, CanadaFaculty of Social Work, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, CanadaDepartments of Psychiatry, Psychology and Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, CanadaDepartments of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, and of Pediatrics, McMaster UniversityFamily Violence Epidemiology Section, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, CanadaSchool of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, CanadaSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CanadaDepartments of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Psychiatry, Western University, London, CanadaDepartments of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, CanadaSummary: Background: Up-to-date nationally representative Canadian statistics on child abuse with a focus on sex, sexual identity, and age cohorts are overdue. The objective of the current study was to examine child abuse prevalence estimates (physical abuse, sexual abuse, exposure to intimate partner violence (EIPV), and any child abuse) among adult Canadians, associations with sex (male or female), sexual identity (heterosexual, lesbian or gay, bisexual, or other), and age cohort, and to compare data from 2022 with 2012. Methods: Data were obtained from two Statistics Canada cross-sectional surveys: 1) the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (2012 CCHS-MH; n = 23,395; 18+ years) and 2) the 2022 Mental Health and Access to Care (2022 MHACS; n = 9409; 18+ years). Findings: The prevalence of any child abuse in Canada in 2022 was 34.4%, which was significantly higher compared to 2012 (32.1%; p = 0.006). Among the youngest respondents (18–27 years), the prevalence of any child abuse had also increased from 21.7% in 2012 to 26.8% in 2022 (p = 0.002). Sex and age cohort differences were noted. In addition, those identifying as other than heterosexual generally had increased odds of child abuse experiences (Adjusted Odds Ratios ranging from 1.48 to 3.12). Interpretation: The retrospective self-reported prevalence in 2022 was 2.3 percentage points higher compared to 2012. There continues to be a widespread need to develop approaches focusing on child abuse prevention and response, and to ensure that providers receive training in how to recognize and respond safely to family violence, including child abuse. Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Canada Research Chair.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667193X25000821Child abuseSexSexual identityAge cohortsNationally representative data |
| spellingShingle | Tracie O. Afifi Julie-Anne McCarthy Ana Osorio Lauren MacGowan Tamara L. Taillieu Ashley Stewart-Tufescu Jitender Sareen Harriet L. MacMillan Lil Tonmyr Ian Colman Mark A. Ferro Kelly K. Anderson Jordan Edwards Child abuse prevalence estimates in Canada; comparisons of nationally representative data from 2012 to 2022: a population-based studyResearch in context The Lancet Regional Health. Americas Child abuse Sex Sexual identity Age cohorts Nationally representative data |
| title | Child abuse prevalence estimates in Canada; comparisons of nationally representative data from 2012 to 2022: a population-based studyResearch in context |
| title_full | Child abuse prevalence estimates in Canada; comparisons of nationally representative data from 2012 to 2022: a population-based studyResearch in context |
| title_fullStr | Child abuse prevalence estimates in Canada; comparisons of nationally representative data from 2012 to 2022: a population-based studyResearch in context |
| title_full_unstemmed | Child abuse prevalence estimates in Canada; comparisons of nationally representative data from 2012 to 2022: a population-based studyResearch in context |
| title_short | Child abuse prevalence estimates in Canada; comparisons of nationally representative data from 2012 to 2022: a population-based studyResearch in context |
| title_sort | child abuse prevalence estimates in canada comparisons of nationally representative data from 2012 to 2022 a population based studyresearch in context |
| topic | Child abuse Sex Sexual identity Age cohorts Nationally representative data |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667193X25000821 |
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