NCJ Number
231250
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 34 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2010 Pages: 454-464
Date Published
June 2010
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adult health using a population-based sample.
Abstract
This study found an association between adverse childhood experiences and poor adult health and high healthcare utilization. An increased risk of adult health problems was observed with each adverse childhood experience reported. This suggests that it is the accumulation of adverse experiences that is most harmful to long-term adult health. The study provides compelling evidence that childhood abuse and other adverse childhood events are overlapping risk factors for long-term adult health problems and that the accumulation of these adverse experiences increases the risk of poor adult health. Adverse childhood experiences, such as physical and sexual abuse are common in the population. Research provides evidence suggesting that adverse childhood experiences have long-term consequences on adult physical health and healthcare utilization. The objectives of this population-based study were two-fold: 1) to examine how much childhood abuse contributes to poor adult health and increased healthcare utilization relative to other adverse childhood experiences, and 2) to examine the cumulative effects of adverse childhood experiences on adult health and healthcare utilization. Data were analyzed from a representative population sample of 9,953 respondents aged 15 years and older from the Ontario Health Survey. Tables and references