@article{ref1,
title="Child sexual abuse among a representative sample of Quebec high school students: prevalence and association with mental health problems and health-risk behaviors",
journal="Canadian journal of psychiatry, The",
year="2019",
author="Hébert, Martine and Amédée, Laetitia Mélissande and Blais, Martin and Gauthier-Duchesne, Amélie",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="706743719861387-706743719861387",
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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0706-7437",
doi="10.1177/0706743719861387",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0706743719861387"
}