Tracie O Afifi
Biographic Data
| ID | 3477675 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Tracie O Afifi |
| GIVEN NAMES | Tracie |
| FAMILY NAME | O Afifi |
| SIGNATURE | AFIFI T O |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Manitoba |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-3745-9785 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 58 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 147 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 58 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Problematic Prescription Drug Use Among Canadian Armed Forces Veterans
BACKGROUND: Problematic prescription drug use (PPDU) is a public health concern that can cause degradation of wellbeing. Examination of prevalence and correlates of PPDU in Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans is essential to understand its impact and to identify those at risk. This study aimed to assess correlates of PPDU among CAF Veterans, including sociodemographic characteristics and physical and mental disorders. METHODS: = 1,922), all of w…
Putative risk and resilience factors for predicting mental health among Royal Canadian Mounted Police after the first year of service
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) cadets complete the Cadet Training Program with lower putative risk and greater self-perceived resilience than young adults in the general population, implicating occupational stressors as possible risk factors for mental health disorders in RCMP officers. The current study assessed for changes in putative risk and resilience factors among RCMP officers after their first year of service (i.e. from pre-deployme…
Mental health of Royal Canadian Mounted Police after the first year of service
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) frequently report symptoms consistent with positive screens for one or more mental health disorders (65%), but RCMP cadets evidence a much lower prevalence (7.3%) prior to deployment. The differences in mental health between cadets and experienced RCMP implicates mental health challenges to be related to service experiences; however, less is known about how mental health changes during the first year of servic…
Advancing family wellbeing through a Massive Online Open Intervention
While early childhood remains a formative period for healthy child development, it is simultaneously a time when parents experience increased mental health challenges. Such increased challenges (e.g., heightened parental stress, anxiety, depression, etc.) can lead to a variety of adverse child outcomes, including increased risk of externalizing and internalizing disorders. Despite the well-documented effects of parental mental health on child dev…
Self-reported spanking history among adults in Canada
BACKGROUND: While the literature indicates that corporal punishment, and specifically spanking, is associated with several poor outcomes, little is known about the prevalence of spanking and attitudinal beliefs about spanking in Canada. The overall aims of the study were to (1) compute the prevalence of self-reported spanking history and attitudinal spanking beliefs; (2) determine if a spanking history varies according to gender, sexual identity,…
Exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events
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)
Exploring how Canadian Correctional Workers Understand their Adverse Childhood Experiences
Parent and caregiver preferences for eHealth programs
This research provides an important first step toward creating more accessible online mental health and parent mental health programs by ensuring the voices of the parents who will use these services are heard in program development and adaptation. Future research should investigate how to address accessibility and inclusivity barriers to participating in parent mental health programs for diverse families based on their differential preferences
Childhood Abuse Prevalence in Canada
Reliable estimates of childhood abuse (CA) prevalence are essential for informing resource allocation and prevention strategies. While previous research has provided valuable insights, inconsistencies in definitions and data collection methods have hindered a clear understanding of prevalence patterns. Recent changes in Canadian surveys enable comparisons of self-reported CA data, offering insight into prevalence over time and across survey conte…
Examining the rollout of the Triple P system parenting program in Manitoba on rates of child maltreatment
Disorder-specific risk factors of suicidal behaviour among serving and veteran Canadian Armed Forces Members with baseline mental health diagnoses
This study identified characteristics of individuals living with mental disorders who might be at high risk of suicidal behaviour, highlighting potential areas for targeted interventions in this key population
Sexual identity, child maltreatment, mental health, and substance use among emerging adults aged 18 to 23 years
Preventing child maltreatment among all children, including youth identifying as other than heterosexual, is a public health priority. Such efforts will work towards optimizing mental health and reducing substance use in early adulthood
Canadian Provincial and Territorial Correctional Worker Mental Health and Well-Being Study (CWMH)
Previous research assessing correctional worker (CW) mental health has seldom assessed for differences based on jurisdiction or diverse occupational categories. The current study was designed to provide a nuanced quantitative examination of mental health disorder prevalence and related problems among CWs and to qualitatively explore the varying social contexts surrounding CW well-being. We reflect on how we overcame unanticipated challenges and d…
Trouble with the curve
The creation of highly individualized, population-based mental health injury programs has been limited by an incomplete understanding of the causal relationships between protective factors and mental health. Disproportionate rates of disengagement from persons who screen positive for mental health disorders further compounds the difficulty in understanding the relationships between training programs and mental health. The current results suggest …
Provincial and territorial correctional service workers
Canadian correctional workers (CWs) experience substantial challenges with mental health, but prevalence estimates have been limited across provincial and territorial services. Participating CWs from all 13 provincial and territorial services (n = 3740) self-selected to complete an online mental health and well-being survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics and symptoms of several mental disorders. Participants worked as correctional off…
Exposures to correctional-specific potentially psychologically traumatic events among Ontario provincial correctional workers
Eliminating PPTE exposures is unlikely in the correctional environment; nevertheless, the results indicate that mitigating PPTEs may drastically improve the mental health of correctional workers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
Education-Related Covid-19 Difficulties and Stressors during the Covid-19 Pandemic among a Community Sample of Older Adolescents and Young Adults in Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic created significant disruptions to the provision of education, including restrictions to in-person and remote learning. Little is known about how older adolescents and young adults experienced these disruptions. To address this gap, data were drawn from the Well-Being and Experiences study (the WE Study), a longitudinal community-based sample collected in Manitoba, Canada, from 2017–2021 (n = 494). Prevalent difficulties or …
Pervasive Uncertainty under Threat
Exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events for correctional workers is high. However, the mechanisms driving the high prevalence are relatively unexplained. Using data from a cross-sectional, online survey of correctional service workers ( n = 845) in Ontario, Canada, collected in 2017–2018, we assess the prevalence of mental disorders with a specific focus on uncertainty in the workplace and between correctional roles. We find that…
Assessing the impact of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) protocol and Emotional Resilience Skills Training (ERST) among diverse public safety personnel
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05530642. Registered 1 September 2022-Retrospectively registered. The subsequent PSP PTSI Study results are expected to benefit the mental health of all participants and, ultimately, all PSP
Risk Factors for Moral Injury Among Canadian Armed Forces Personnel
Exposure to stressful deployment experiences, particularly those involving moral-ethical challenges, sexual trauma, and childhood maltreatment were found to increase levels of MI in CAF personnel. These findings suggest several avenues of intervention, including education and policies aimed at mitigating sexual misconduct, as well as pre-deployment training to better prepare military personnel to deal effectively with morally injurious experience…
Childhood Prevalence of Involvement with the Child Protection System in Quebec
The goal of this study, the first of its kind in Canada, was to estimate the child lifetime prevalence of child protection involvement in Quebec. Using administrative and population data spanning 17 years, we performed a survival analysis of initial incidents of child protection reports, confirmed reports, confirmation of a child's security or development being compromised, and placement outside the home for one day or more. We found that before …
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Education Outcomes among Adolescents
It is well established that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with detrimental health outcomes in adulthood. Less is known about the relationships between ACEs and education outcomes and among adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between ACEs and adolescents' self-reported education outcomes and provincial education assessments among adolescents in Manitoba, Canada. Data were gathered from 1002 adol…
Mental Health and Well-Being among Children of Public Safety Personnel in Canada
Public safety personnel (PSP) often experience stress due to their occupational demands that affect the family environment (e.g., work-family conflict, marital breakdown, disruption to home routines, and holidays). A substantial base of research has focused on the impact of PSP work on the marital relationship, but fewer studies have focused specifically on children's functioning within PSP families. The current study investigated mental health, …
Child Maltreatment Reporting Practices by a Person Most Knowledgeable for Children and Youth
Child maltreatment is a global public health and child rights crisis made worse by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While understanding the breadth of the child maltreatment crisis is foundational to informing prevention and response efforts, determining accurate estimates of child maltreatment remains challenging. Alternative informants (parents, caregivers, a Person Most Knowledgeable-PMK) are often tasked with reporting on children's maltreatmen…
An Examination of Parents’ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) History and Reported Spanking of Their Child
The current evidence indicates that spanking is harmful to children's health and development and should never be used by parents or other caregivers. However, the critical factors that inform effective spanking prevention strategies are still not well understood. The objective of the current study was to determine if a parent's own adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) history was associated with increased likelihood of reporting their child being…
Unpacking the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult mental health
Population Attributable Fractions of Psychiatric Disorders and Suicide Ideation and Attempts Associated With Adverse Childhood Experiences
Objectives. We sought to determine the fractions of psychiatric disorders and suicide ideation and attempts in a general population sample attributable to childhood physical abuse, sexual abuse, and witnessing domestic violence. Methods. Data were obtained from the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Population attributable fractions were calculated to determine the proportion of psychiatric disorders and suicide ideation and attempts att…
Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Homelessness and the Impact of Axis I and II Disorders
Objectives. We investigated the links between homelessness associated with serious mental and physical healthy disparities and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in nationally representative data, with Axis I and II disorders as potential mediators. Methods. We examined data from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions in 2001–2002 and 2004–2005, and included 34 653 participants representative of the noninstitutional…
Child Maltreatment and Intimate Partner Violence Among Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Canadians
Canadian Military Personnel's Population Attributable Fractions of Mental Disorders and Mental Health Service Use Associated With Combat and Peacekeeping Operations
Objectives. We investigated mental disorders, suicidal ideation, self-perceived need for treatment, and mental health service utilization attributable to exposure to peacekeeping and combat operations among Canadian military personnel. Methods. With data from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 1.2 Canadian Forces Supplement, a cross-sectional population-based survey of active Canadian military personnel (N = 8441), we estimated population…
Bullying victimization and illicit drug use among students in Grades 7 to 12 in Manitoba, Canada
Child Maltreatment in Canada
The Relationship between Problem Gambling and Mental and Physical Health Correlates among a Nationally Representative Sample of Canadian Women
Investigating Health Correlates of Adolescent Depression in Canada
Sexual identity, child maltreatment, mental health, and substance use among emerging adults aged 18 to 23 years
Preventing child maltreatment among all children, including youth identifying as other than heterosexual, is a public health priority. Such efforts will work towards optimizing mental health and reducing substance use in early adulthood
Provincial and territorial correctional service workers
Canadian correctional workers (CWs) experience substantial challenges with mental health, but prevalence estimates have been limited across provincial and territorial services. Participating CWs from all 13 provincial and territorial services (n = 3740) self-selected to complete an online mental health and well-being survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics and symptoms of several mental disorders. Participants worked as correctional off…
Anxiety Disorders and Risk for Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts
CONTEXT: Controversy exists whether anxiety disorders are independently associated (ie, after adjusting for comorbid mental disorders) with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether anxiety disorders are risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in a large population-based longitudinal study. METHODS: Data come from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study, a prospective population-based s…
Investigating Health Correlates of Adolescent Depression in Canada
Physical and Mental Comorbidity, Disability, and Suicidal Behavior Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a Large Community Sample
OBJECTIVE: To assess if posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), recognized as a common mental disorder in the general population and veteran samples, has a unique impact on comorbidity, disability, and suicidal behavior (after adjusting for other mental disorders, especially depression). METHODS: Data came from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 1.2 (n = 36,984; age > or = 15 years; response rate 77%). All respondents were asked if they had…
Population Attributable Fractions of Psychiatric Disorders and Suicide Ideation and Attempts Associated With Adverse Childhood Experiences
Objectives. We sought to determine the fractions of psychiatric disorders and suicide ideation and attempts in a general population sample attributable to childhood physical abuse, sexual abuse, and witnessing domestic violence. Methods. Data were obtained from the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Population attributable fractions were calculated to determine the proportion of psychiatric disorders and suicide ideation and attempts att…
Canadian Military Personnel's Population Attributable Fractions of Mental Disorders and Mental Health Service Use Associated With Combat and Peacekeeping Operations
Objectives. We investigated mental disorders, suicidal ideation, self-perceived need for treatment, and mental health service utilization attributable to exposure to peacekeeping and combat operations among Canadian military personnel. Methods. With data from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 1.2 Canadian Forces Supplement, a cross-sectional population-based survey of active Canadian military personnel (N = 8441), we estimated population…
Mental Health Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence in Marital Relationships in a Nationally Representative Sample of Males and Females
It is important to understand the epidemiology of intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by both males and females. Data were drawn from the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey Replication. The relationships between physical IPV and child abuse, mental disorders, and suicidal ideation and attempts among males and females were examined. The results indicate that child sexual abuse was associated with IPV among males, whereas child physical and s…
The Relationship between Problem Gambling and Mental and Physical Health Correlates among a Nationally Representative Sample of Canadian Women
Resilience following Child Maltreatment
OBJECTIVE: Child maltreatment is linked with numerous adverse outcomes that can continue throughout the lifespan. However, variability of impairment has been noted following child maltreatment, making it seem that some people are more resilient. Our review includes a brief discussion of how resilience is measured in child maltreatment research; a summary of the evidence for protective factors associated with resilience based on those studies of h…
Relationship Between Household Income and Mental Disorders
CONTEXT: There has been increasing concern about the impact of the global economic recession on mental health. To date, findings on the relationship between income and mental illness have been mixed. Some studies have found that lower income is associated with mental illness, while other studies have not found this relationship. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between income, mental disorders, and suicide attempts. DESIGN: Prospective, lon…
Child Maltreatment in Canada
Gambling Involvement
Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Homelessness and the Impact of Axis I and II Disorders
Objectives. We investigated the links between homelessness associated with serious mental and physical healthy disparities and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in nationally representative data, with Axis I and II disorders as potential mediators. Methods. We examined data from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions in 2001–2002 and 2004–2005, and included 34 653 participants representative of the noninstitutional…
Child abuse and mental disorders in Canada
BACKGROUND: Nationally representative Canadian data on the prevalence of child abuse and its relation with mental disorders are lacking. We used contemporary, nationally representative data to examine the prevalence of 3 types of child abuse (physical abuse, sexual abuse and exposure to intimate partner violence) and their association with 14 mental conditions, including suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. METHODS: We obtained data from the 2…
Childhood emotional maltreatment and mental disorders
Child maltreatment is a public health concern with well-established sequelae. However, compared to research on physical and sexual abuse, far less is known about the long-term impact of emotional maltreatment on mental health. The overall purpose of this study was to examine the association of emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and both emotional abuse and neglect with other types of child maltreatment, a family history of dysfunction, and lifet…
Child Maltreatment and Intimate Partner Violence Among Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Canadians
Linking typologies of childhood adversity to adult incarceration
) had elevated incarceration risk (adjusted odds ratios: 1.76–4.18). Maltreatment experiences were more predictive of incarceration for women versus men. Childhood maltreatment confers risk for incarceration beyond established risk factors, but caregiver maladjustment, alone, does not. Preventative efforts should focus on understanding and targeting pathways to delinquency for individuals with childhood maltreatment
Spanking and adult mental health impairment
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as child abuse are related to poor health outcomes. Spanking has indicated a similar association with health outcomes, but to date has not been considered an ACE. Physical and emotional abuse have been shown in previous research to correlate highly and may be similar in nature to spanking. To determine if spanking should be considered an ACE, this study aimed to examine 1): the grouping of spanking with p…
The relationships between harsh physical punishment and child maltreatment in childhood and intimate partner violence in adulthood
It is important for parents and professionals working with children to be aware that pushing, grabbing, shoving, hitting, or slapping children may increase the likelihood of emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, and exposure to IPV in childhood and also experiencing IPV victimization and/or perpetration in later adulthood
Unpacking the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult mental health
Mental Disorder Symptoms among Public Safety Personnel in Canada
BACKGROUND: Canadian public safety personnel (PSP; e.g., correctional workers, dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics, police officers) are exposed to potentially traumatic events as a function of their work. Such exposures contribute to the risk of developing clinically significant symptoms related to mental disorders. The current study was designed to provide estimates of mental disorder symptom frequencies and severities for Canadian PSP. METHO…
Bullying victimization and illicit drug use among students in Grades 7 to 12 in Manitoba, Canada
What factors are associated with resilient outcomes in children exposed to social adversity? A systematic review
Exposures to potentially traumatic events among public safety personnel in Canada.
Canadian Public Safety Personnel (e.g., correctional workers, dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics, and police) are regularly exposed to potentially traumatic events, some of which are highlighted as critical incidents warranting additional resources. Unfortunately, available Canadian public safety personnel data measuring associations between potentially traumatic events and mental health remains sparse. The current research quantifies estimate…
Examining the relationships between parent experiences and youth self-reports of slapping/spanking
It may be important to consider parent/primary caregiver's childhood experiences with victimization and maltreatment along with their current parental mental health, substance use and family circumstances when developing and testing strategies to prevent slapping/spanking
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), peer victimization, and substance use among adolescents
BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common and related to substance use problems in adulthood. Less is known about these relationships in adolescence and if experiencing ACEs in addition to peer victimization (or bullying) would have an interaction or cumulative effect on the odds of adolescent substance use. METHOD: Data were used from the Well-Being and Experiences Study (The WE Study), a cross-sectional survey of adolescents a…
Medicine (47 works) · Psychiatry (43 works) · Psychology (43 works) · Mental health (33 works) · Child Abuse and Trauma (31 works) · Poison control (28 works) · Environmental health (27 works) · Clinical Psychology (23 works) · Suicide prevention (23 works) · Injury prevention (21 works)