International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Violence against minors remains a significant, often under-reported public health crisis. This study evaluated the incidence and clinical management of child abuse within the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola area (Northwest Italy) from January 2017 to August 2023. A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted using two primary data streams: (1) Territorial data: records from the multidisciplinary “Maltrattamento, Trascuratezza, Abuso” (“Maltreatment, Neglect, Abuse”) team. (2) Hospital data: Pediatric Emergency Department admissions in Verbania and Domodossola, screened via diagnostic filters and ICD-related codes. At the territorial level, 161 minors were identified. While the territorial network demonstrated high activation rates (96.25%) and legal reporting (92.55%), a history of missed reports was noted in 8.13% of cases. Parental risk factors were prevalent: 72% of caregivers reported adverse childhood experiences and 27% presented with psychiatric comorbidities. In contrast, hospital data revealed a diagnostic gap. Out of 1,586 pediatric ED admissions, only one case was explicitly recorded as child abuse. Furthermore, none of the discharges utilized specific maltreatment diagnostic codes, despite several patients presenting with recurrent “accidental” traumas. These findings highlight a disconnect between community services and acute clinical settings. Enhancing intrahospital surveillance and implementing specialized training for healthcare providers are essential to bridge this diagnostic gap and ensure a coordinated, multidisciplinary response to child maltreatment.

Research shows that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is linked to increased anxiety, while cannabidiol (CBD) may have anxiolytic effects. Cannabis use is often driven by coping with anxiety, though its daily impact on anxiety remains unclear. This study examined daily associations between cannabis use and anxiety across 30 days in adults who wanted to use cannabis for anxiety relief. Participants (N = 345) used flower or edible products ad libitum and were randomly assigned to groups by product type (CBD, THC, or THC + CBD). Each day, participants reported cannabis use in the past 24 h and rated their anxiety. Linear mixed-effects models tested whether anxiety changed over time, differed by cannabinoid group, and varied with use. Anxiety significantly decreased over the study period in both flower and edibles groups. In the flower group, THC + CBD and CBD products had greater decreases in anxiety (39.5% and 34.8%, respectively) compared to THC products (7.8%). In the edibles group, when participants used CBD products, this was associated with a 24.9% reduction in anxiety over the 30 days. Findings underscore the importance of distinguishing cannabis effects by product type and cannabinoid composition and suggest that CBD-dominant edibles were associated with less anxiety over time in this naturalistic study.

Background: Immigrant and racialized families raising children on the autism spectrum in Canada navigate intersecting inequities shaped by racism, language barriers, immigration status, and fragmented health and education systems. Yet their perspectives remain underrepresented in autism and health policy research. Methods: Guided by the socioecological and critical social science lens, this community-based participatory study employed a PhotoVoice approach in partnership with SMILE Canada–Support Services. Ten immigrant and/or racialized family caregivers from the Greater Toronto area participated in four in-person sessions involving ethical training, guided photo-taking, group-based reflections, and collaborative theme refinement. The data included 38 participant-generated photographs, narratives, and an audio-recorded final group discussion. Results: Seven interrelated themes were identified: (1) family support and child needs; (2) physical and emotional burden on caregivers; (3) school support or its missingness; (4) stigma and discrimination; (5) overall journey with barriers; (6) transitions and uncertainty; and (7) two sides of a coin: isolation and strength, loneliness and hope. Caregivers highlighted extensive invisible labor, exclusionary schooling, financial and systemic barriers, and cumulative stress. Simultaneously, they articulated resilience, mutual support, and a strong sense of collective responsibility. The PhotoVoice process itself was experienced as validating, unifying, and empowering, with participants expressing readiness to disseminate findings through exhibitions, school boards, universities, and policy-engagement initiatives. Conclusions: Caregiving among immigrant and racialized families is both a profound act of love and a site of structural injustice. Centering on caregivers as co-researchers and knowledge holders reveals urgent needs for equity-oriented autism policies and culturally responsive, accessible support systems in Canada.