Violence and sexual abuse rates before and during the Covid-19 pandemic: A prospective population-based study on Norwegian youth

Information sharing between the dental healthcare and child welfare services regarding child maltreatment-A repeated cross-sectional study in Norway

BACKGROUND

Little is known about dental healthcare workers reported suspected child maltreatment to and received inquiry from the child welfare services (CWS).

AIM

Assess time lag differences in public dental healthcare workers' information sharing with CWS and identify sociodemographic and attitudinal covariates of information sharing with CWS in 2014 and 2019.

DESIGN

In 2014 and 2019, a national census of 1542 and 1791 Norwegian dental health care workers, respectively, were invited to participate in an electronic survey. Of them, 1200 (77.8%) and 1270 (70.9%) replied to the questionnaires. Time trends of reported child maltreatment and received inquiries were estimated and adjusted for sociodemographics, attitudes, trust, and collaborative routines in logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

The likelihood of reported child maltreatment to and received inquiry from CWS was higher in 2019 than in 2014 (OR 1.4 [95% CI 1.2-1.7] and OR 1.1 [95% CI 0.9-1.4]). Significant associations occurred with sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes, and collaborative routines. The likelihood of receiving inquiry about whether being employed long versus short term was higher in 2019 than in 2014.

CONCLUSION

Information sharing between dental healthcare workers and CWS improved across time and might promote beneficial outcomes.

Profile of female survivors of sexual violence in the first 6 months of the COVID-19 quarantine in the city of Campinas, Brazil: A cross-sectional retrospective study

OBJECTIVES

Describe the characteristics and changes in the profile of women who sought care after experiencing sexual violence (SV) during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic in a Brazilian city.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional retrospective study. Data from emergency care and legal abortion requests of women assisted at the Women's Health Care Center Hospital (School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Brazil) due to SV experienced between March 23 and August 23, 2020 (Quarantine Group, QG), were collected and compared with data from the same period of the previous biennium (Comparison Group, CG). χ2 and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare groups; the significance level was 5%.

RESULTS

Data for 236 women were analyzed; 70 women were included in the QG and 166 in the CG. In the QG, there was a restriction in the area of origin of women, with a higher proportion of women who lived in Campinas (P = 0.0007) and a higher frequency of chronic SV (P = 0,035). There were no rapes associated with the use of social media or apps in the QG, but 9.8% of women in the CG experienced rape associated with the use of social media or apps. There were higher rates of domestic violence (P = 0.022) and intimidation through physical force (P = 0.011) in the first two months.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 quarantine affected the profile of women who sought care after experiencing SV. The quarantine resulted in changes in the area of origin of patients, hindering access to health services and leading to higher rates of chronic and domestic SV, particularly in the first 2 months of the pandemic.

Introduction: Student Experiences of COVID-19 Around the Globe: Insights from the Pandemic Journaling Project

The COVID-19 crisis has taken a significant toll on the mental health of many students around the globe. In addition to the traumatic effects of loss of life and livelihood within students' families, students have faced other challenges, including disruptions to learning and work; decreased access to health care services; emotional struggles associated with loneliness and social isolation; and difficulties exercising essential rights, such as rights to civic engagement, housing, and protection from violence. Such disruptions negatively impact students' developmental, emotional, and behavioral health and wellbeing and also become overlaid upon existing inequities to generate intersectional effects. With these findings in mind, this special issue investigates how COVID-19 has affected the mental health and wellbeing of high school and college students in diverse locations around the world, including the United States, Mexico, Brazil, China, and South Africa. The contributions collected here analyze data collected through the Pandemic Journaling Project, a combined research study and online journaling platform that ran on a weekly basis from May 2020 through May 2022, along with complementary projects and using additional research methods, such as semi-structured interviews and autobiographical writing by students. The collection offers a nuanced, comparative window onto the diverse struggles that students and educators experienced at the height of the pandemic and considers potential solutions for addressing the long-term impacts of COVID-19. It also suggests a potential role for journaling in promoting mental wellbeing among youth, particularly in the Global South.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic On Violence Against Children: A Narrative Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The goal of this paper was to explore the different ways the COVID-19 pandemic has affected violence against children (VAC).

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent research of peer-reviewed articles using operational or survey data revealed the pandemic's impact in terms of institutional responses, risk and mediating factors, changes in VAC dynamics, and a likely increase in child marriage. Findings include a decrease in institutional responses, activities, and prevention case openings; an increased incidence of interparental intimate partner violence (IPV) witnessing cases, hospital admissions for suspected Abusive Head Trauma (AHT), other pediatric injuries, and sexual violence; a change in family conflict dynamics; and an estimated increase in child marriages. It also revealed mediating factors between the relationship of the pandemic and VAC (such as parental stress and mental health symptoms), as well as risk factors observed by service providers, which include the risk of mental health symptoms of both parents and children. Post-pandemic VAC research can be improved by utilizing operational or survey data in a meaningful way to be able to derive sound intervention approaches to diminish the pandemic's impact on VAC and child marriage. We also propose for researchers to integrate child marriage into the definition of VAC.

Associations between exposure to sexual abuse, substance use, adverse health outcomes, and use of youth health services among Norwegian adolescents

BACKGROUND

A strong association between sexual abuse and adverse health outcomes has been reported among adolescents. The present study aimed to provide more information about adverse health outcomes associated with sexual abuse and substance use, and to examine the use of youth health services among Norwegian adolescents.

METHODS

National representative cross-sectional study among 16-19-year-old Norwegian adolescents (n = 9784). Multivariable regression analyses, adjusted for socioeconomic status and age, were used to examine the association between exposure to sexual abuse, substance use and health risk factors, and the use of youth health services.

RESULTS

Adolescents exposed to sexual abuse had higher odds of depressive symptoms (males: OR:3.8; 95% CI:2.5-5.8, females: 2.9;2.4-3.5), daily headache (males: 5.3;2.8-10.1, females:1.9; 1.5-2.4), high medication use (males: 3.2;1.7-6.0, females: 2.0;1.6-2.6), self-harm (males: 3.8;2.4-6.0, females:3.2; 2.6-3.9), suicidal thoughts (males: 3.3; 2.2-5.0, females:3.0; 2.5-3.6) and suicide attempts (males: 9.5;5.6-16.0, females:3.6;2.7-4.9). Furthermore, exposure to sexual abuse was associated with higher odds of using school health services (males: 3.9;2.6-5.9, females: 1.6;1.3-1.9) and health services for youth (males: 4.8;3.1-7.6, females: 2.1;1.7-2.5). In general, substance use was associated with increased odds of adverse health related outcomes and use of youth health services, but the strength of the relationships varied according to sex. Finally, results indicated a significant interaction between sexual abuse and smoking that was associated with increased odds of having suicidal thoughts for males (2.6;1.1-6.5) but a decreased odds of having suicidal thoughts and have conducted suicide attempts once or more for females (0.6;0.4-1.0 and 0.5;0.3-0.9, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study confirmed a strong relationship between exposure to sexual abuse and health risks, especially among males. Moreover, males exposed to sexual abuse were much more likely to use youth health services compared to sexually abused females. Substance use was also associated with adverse health outcomes and use of youth health services, and interactions between sexual abuse and smoking seemed to influence risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts differently according to sex. Results from this study increase knowledge about possible health related effects of sexual abuse which should be used to identify victims and provide targeted treatment by youth health services.