Can - Statistics Canada

[Kizzie]

This 2016 health report "Child abuse and physical health in adulthood" suggests that Canadian adults who suffered childhood abuse have more physical health problems than those who didn't. This has implications not only for Canadian mental health professionals, but for primary care providers as well. 

Conclusions: The results of this study underscore the association between three major types of child abuse and physical health conditions and perceived general health in adulthood. Given the relative paucity of information about the relationship between child abuse and physical health compared to mental health, clinicians may have a limited awareness of the role of child abuse in relation to physical conditions. It is important that such awareness is increased, since exposure to abuse in childhood may have implications for treatment of physical illnesses. From a public health perspective, it is increasingly recognized that prevention of child abuse has major implications for reduction in mental health problems, but it is also possible that reducing child abuse may lead to better physical health outcomes.