The association between emotional abuse in childhood and healthcare utilization in adulthood among sami and non-sami: the SAMINOR 2 questionnaire survey

Abstract Background Emotional abuse in childhood is the most common type of childhood abuse worldwide and is associated with a variety of somatic and mental health issues. However, globally and in indigenous contexts, research on the associations between emotional abuse in childhood and somatic and mental specialist healthcare utilization in adulthood is sparse. Aim The main aim of this study was to investigate the association between emotional abuse in childhood and somatic and mental specialist healthcare utilization in adulthood in Sami and non-Sami populations, and to examine whether this association differs between the two ethnic groups. Method This study used cross-sectional data from the SAMINOR 2 Questionnaire Survey - a population-based study on health and living conditions in areas with Sami and non-Sami populations in Middle and Northern Norway. In total, 11 600 individuals participated in SAMINOR 2. Logistic regression was used to present the association between emotional abuse in childhood and somatic and mental specialist healthcare utilization. Results Emotional abuse in childhood was significantly associated with somatic specialist healthcare utilization in adulthood (fully adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15–1.49), with no differences observed between ethnic groups. Emotional abuse in childhood was also associated with mental specialist healthcare utilization (fully adjusted OR 3.99, 95% CI 3.09–5.14), however this association was weaker among Sami (crude OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.37–4.13) compared with non-Sami (crude OR 5.40, 95% Cl 4.07–7.15) participants. Conclusions Emotional abuse in childhood is associated with somatic and mental specialist healthcare utilization in adulthood, with a stronger association to mental healthcare utilization. The association between emotional abuse in childhood and mental specialist healthcare utilization was weaker among Sami than non-Sami participants. Future studies should investigate the reason for this ethnic difference. Our results highlight the need to strengthen efforts to prevent childhood abuse and develop strategies to reduce its societal and personal burden.