Tamara Taillieu

Correctional workers are exposed to operational and organizational stresses when fulfilling their occupational responsibilities, which increasingly appear

Background: A substantial proportion of Veterans experience mental and physical health difficulties, including post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain, for which cannabis is sometimes medically authorized. However, relatively little is known about cannabis use among Canadian Veterans. Information on the prevalence of use, as well as the mental health profiles and help-seeking behaviours of Veterans who use cannabis, is important for developing more targeted prevention and intervention services and supports. Methods: The current study used data from Veteran respondents ( n = 1992) of the 2018 Canadian Armed Forces Members and Veterans Mental Health Follow-up Survey. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to examine associations between past 12-month cannabis use and concurrent mental disorders, chronic pain conditions, use of other substances, suicide behaviours, perceived need for care, and help-seeking behaviours. Results: Several participating Veterans (16.7%) reported using cannabis in the past 12-months. Infrequent use of cannabis in the past 12 months was associated with statistically significantly increased odds of current smoking, binge drinking, and post-traumatic stress disorder in fully adjusted models (Adjusted odds ratios [AOR-2] = 1.93, 2.58, and 2.37, respectively). Regular use of cannabis in the past 12 months was associated with statistically significantly increased odds of current tobacco smoking, arthritis and any chronic pain condition, several mental health disorders, and suicide ideation in fully adjusted models (AOR-2 ranged from 1.61 to 3.99). Veterans who used cannabis both infrequently and regularly were also statistically significantly more likely to perceive a need for care (AOR-2 = 2.15 and 4.85, respectively) and report professional help-seeking (AOR-2 = 2.25 and 5.56, respectively) in the past 12-months compared to Veterans who did not use cannabis. Conclusions: The strong association of past 12-month cannabis use with nicotine, chronic pain, mental disorders, and suicide ideation suggests that Veterans who use cannabis regularly may represent a population with complex needs who may benefit from additional services and supports. Cannabis using Veterans were also more likely to perceive a need for and seek professional help, which provides opportunities for more timely identification and intervention.

There is a paucity of evidence informing our understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected pediatric trauma in Manitoba, Canada. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to analyze the effect of the pandemic on pediatric trauma and its association with patients’ demographic characteristics. Pre-pandemic and pandemic patient cohorts were created, and the rates of these injuries were compared by patients’ sex, age, and area of residence. During the pre-pandemic period, ED presentations with an MSK or head injury were lower in patients from rural communities compared to urban communities (RR: 0.68, p < 0.001, RR: 0.51, p < 0.001). Hospitalizations with an MSK or head injury were higher in patients from rural communities (RR: 1.78, p < 0.001, RR: 1.14, p = 0.62). During the pandemic, MSK injury ED presentations (RR: 1.14, p = 0.037) and hospitalizations (RR: 1.78, p < 0.001) were higher in patients from rural communities. Patients from rural communities had a lower rate of head injury ED presentations (RR: 0.81, p < 0.001), but higher hospitalization rate (RR:1.96, p = 0.001). Differences in the rates of pediatric MSK and head injuries could be attributed to the limited healthcare resources in underserved rural communities. Efforts should be made to rectify these inequities to ensure fair access to healthcare for these patients.

In this study, our aims were to (a) examine the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; i.e., childhood maltreatment, household challenges, and peer victimization) and resilience, adjusting for sociodemographic variables, and (b) test the moderating effect of emotional regulation on the association between childhood maltreatment ACEs and resilience in Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) cadets. Study data were from the RCMP Study. Participants were Cadets ( N = 597, 75.0% men) who underwent a full assessment before the Cadet Training Program (CTP). Logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between ACEs and resilience while adjusting for sociodemographic variables and to test the moderating effect of emotional regulation; adjusted odds ratios (a OR s) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. Several childhood maltreatment ACEs were associated with decreased resilience among cadets after adjustment for sociodemographic covariates: physical abuse, a OR = 0.26, 95% CI [0.10, 0.68]; emotional abuse, a OR = 0.28, 95% CI [0.10, 0.79]; neglect, a OR = 0.22, 95% CI [0.09, 0.55]; exposure to intimate partner violence, a OR = 0.18, 95% CI [0.04, 0.73]; and peer victimization, a OR = 0.30, 95% CI [0.12, 0.76]. The interaction between exposure to any childhood maltreatment ACE and emotional suppression, as assessed using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, was significantly associated with low resilience scores, a OR = 0.94, 95% CI [0.89, 0.99]. The current results underscore the critical importance of mitigating the adverse impact of childhood maltreatment ACEs on resilience processes among cadets before the CTP.

The knowledge is growing about how exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) among provincial and territorial correctional workers in Canada affects their mental health. In the present national study, we examine the frequencies at which correctional workers (n = 3,740) in diverse occupational roles across all provinces and territories are exposed to different PPTEs. Using robustly established self-report measures in surveys of each provincial and territorial correctional system, participants were grouped into consistent occupational categories to allow for comparisons and measurements of PPTE exposure and mental health disorder prevalence. Nearly all correctional workers were exposed to most PPTE types, across all employment jurisdictions (M = 9.74, SD = 4.24). The most prevalent PPTE exposure type was physical assault (88.5%), followed by exposure to a sudden violent death (81.1%), sudden accidental death (76.8%), and assault with a weapon (76.0%). The least prevalent PPTE exposure types were combat (25.5%); serious injury, harm, or death you caused to someone else (28.0%); and captivity (35.4%). Most PPTE exposures were related to statistically significantly increased odds of screening positive for various mental health disorders, evidencing correctional workers are frequently experiencing injurious psychological traumas associated with mental health disorder symptoms. We discuss our results in the context of correctional worker wellness and conclude with recommendations for policies to address mental health treatment and resource gaps in correctional services. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Physical punishment is the most common form of violence against children worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of long-term adverse outcomes. Interventions targeting parents/caregivers are frequently implemented to prevent and reduce the use of physical punishment. This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on evidence-informed parenting interventions targeting physical punishment. A scoping review following the World Health Organization (WHO) Review Guide, the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) 2020 Guide for scoping reviews, was conducted to address the objective of this review. An academic health sciences librarian systematically searched electronic databases (EBSCO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS) for peer-reviewed journal articles. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, followed by a full-text review according to inclusion and exclusion criteria following the Participants, Concept, and Context framework. Eighty-one studies were included for full-text eligibility. The results suggest that most interventions examined were conducted in North America, targeted mothers and fathers, and were delivered in person. The results from this scoping review describe the state of evidence-informed parenting interventions to prevent and reduce physical punishment. This review found opportunities for future research to implement effective parenting interventions on a larger societal scale and use mixed methods approaches to evaluate parenting interventions.