Child Sexual Abuse among a Representative Sample of Quebec High School Students: Prevalence and Association with Mental Health Problems and Health-Risk Behaviors

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of child sexual abuse in a representative sample of Quebec high school youths and document its associations with mental health problems and health-risk behaviors. Method: Data were drawn from the Quebec Youths’ Romantic Relationships Survey, which involved a one-stage stratified cluster sampling of 34 Quebec high schools from Grades 10 to 12. A total of 8,194 youths (mean age = 15.35) were recruited. The survey assessed child sexual abuse, mental health problems (psychological distress, post-traumatic stress symptoms, suicidality), health services utilization, and health-risk behaviors (alcohol, drug, and cannabis use). Gender-stratified multivariate analyses were used to assess associations between child sexual abuse and mental health problems and health-risk behaviors while controlling for confounding demographic variables and other forms of child maltreatment experienced in childhood. Results: A total of 14.9% of girls and 3.9% of boys reported having experienced child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse was independently associated with an increased risk of psychological distress, greater health services utilization, and increased health-risk behaviors, after controlling for other forms of childhood maltreatment experienced. Conclusions: Child sexual abuse is prevalent among youths in Quebec and is associated with an increased risk of a host of negative consequences. Continued efforts in the development of early detection strategies as well as prevention and intervention programs are warranted.

Association of Childhood Maltreatment With Suicide Behaviors Among Young People

“…However, an additional 328 studies were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria for this review. This process left 79 individual studies eligible for inclusion 24 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 ,…”

“…The pooled ORs for each of the individual types of childhood maltreatment are presented in Table 1 (for forest plots, see eFigures 1-11 in the Supplement ). Sexual abuse was associated with 3.5-fold increased odds for suicide attempts (48 studies 24 , 34 , 37 , 38 , 40 , 41 , 43 , 44 , 46 , 47 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 68 , 73 , 74 , 76 , 77 , 81 , 82 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 97 , 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 , 106 , 108 , 111 ; OR, 3.42; 95% CI, 2.90-4.00; I 2 = 97.4%), but heterogeneity was high (funnel plots in eFigure 12 in the Supplement ). Physical abuse was associated with a 2-fold increase in the odds for suicide attempts (26 studies 34 , 37 , 40 ...…”

“…Sexual abuse was associated with 2.5-fold increased odds for suicide ideation (33 studies 35 , 36 , 38 , 41 , 42 , 45 , 46 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 53 , 55 , 61 , 65 , 67 , 69 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 83 , 85 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 101 , 103 , 104 , 106 , 107 , 109 , 110 ; OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 2.08-2.90; I 2 = 94.6%), and heterogeneity was high. Physical abuse (23 studies 35 , 45 , 46 , 48 , 51 , 55 , 64 , 67 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 78 , 83 , 85 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 95 , 98 , 103 , 104 , 107 , 109 ; OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.67-2.27; I 2 = 81.9%), emotional abuse (7 studies 35…”

“…Results of Meta-analyses of the Association Between Forms of Childhood Maltreatment and Suicide Behaviors in YouthSexual abuse was associated with 2.5-fold increased odds for suicide ideation (33 studies35,36,38,41,42,45,46,[48][49][50][51]53,55,61,65,67,69,[76][77][78]83,85,[92][93][94][95]101,103,104,106,107,109,110 ; OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 2.08-2.90; I 2 = 94.6%), and heterogeneity was high. Physical abuse (23 studies35,45,46,48,51,55,64,67,[69][70][71]78,83,85,[91][92][93]95,98,103,104,107,…”

Cinsel Saldırı ve İstismar Olgularında Cinsel Yolla Bulaşan Hastalıkların Değerlendirilmesi

“…Hébert ve ark. nın yüksek okul öğrencileri arasında yaptığı anket çalışmasında; kız çocuklarının %14.9'unun, erkek çocuklarının %3.9'unun cinsel istismara uğradıkları, yine kız çocuklarının %5.3'ünün, erkek çocuklarının ise %1.4'ünün penetrasyon içeren cinsel ilişkiye zorlandığı bildirilmiştir (34). Bir başka çalışmada, cinsel istismar sonrası CYBH prevalansının %5-8 arasında değiştiği belirtilmektedir (35).…”