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Childhood adversity is known to have an enduring effect on health outcomes of victims. The objective of the study was to examine the association between childhood adversity and psychosocial health outcomes among immigrants in Canada. Using descriptive and inferential statistics and fitting negative loglog regression models to the 2014 General Social Survey, the paper examined the relationship between experience of childhood adversity (i.e. physical and sexual abuse before age 15) and its association with psychosocial health outcomes (i.e. psychological-mental condition and self-rated mental health) among immigrants in Canada. After accounting for relevant socioeconomic and demographic factors, the results show that physical abuse during childhood resulted in 29% and 31% increased likelihood of having a psychological mental condition and poor self-rated mental health, respectively. Also, sexual abuse during childhood was associated with 28% increased likelihood of poor self-rated mental health. In conclusion, the findings show that experience of physical and sexual abuse during childhood is associated with negative mental health outcomes in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research from the United States suggests that Latin American immigrant and refugee women are one of the groups most greatly impacted by intimate partner violence (IPV) and associated mental health consequences including higher rates of depression than women from other ethno-racial groups. In Canada, little is known about the experience of IPV and mental health among this population. Even in the broader North American context, how Latin American women themselves perceive the connection between IPV and depression is unknown. This paper presents the findings of a pilot study that examined the perceived relationship between IPV and depression among Spanish-Speaking Latin American Women in Toronto, Canada. The theoretical framework guiding this qualitative study combined an ecological model for understanding gender based violence and mental health with critical intersectionality theory. Using a convenience and snowball sampling method, semi-structured interviews (n = 12) were conducted and thematic content analysis was completed supported by Nvivo9 qualitative data management software. All participants had experienced some form of IPV in their adult lives, with psychological violence being the most common. Women perceived a powerful connection between IPV and depression, a link made stronger by the accumulation of other adverse life experiences including childhood abuse, war traumas and migration. The results suggest that IPV is just one of the challenges experienced by Latin American refugee and immigrant women. IPV is experienced in the context of other traumatic experiences and social hardships that may work to intensify the association of IPV and depression in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]