Adverse Childhood Experiences

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a significant and complex public health and social challenge. Over the past three decades much research has been documented detailing the long-term health implications. In recent years, more evidence has emerged showing the negative impacts of community environments and social determinants of health on ACEs. There is also early and ongoing evidence to show that COVID-19 is continuing to exacerbate many of these risk factors and impacts. In this article, we highlight these challenges in the High Country and what the current evidence tells us. Along the way, three Public Health Honors students provide insight into their ongoing thesis projects focused on interpersonal violence (IPV), maternal and child health outcomes, and food insecurity and ACEs among the Latinx population. We conclude with a call to action emphasizing community-level approaches focused on policy and structural changes. Introduction Over the last few decades, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have emerged as critical public health and societal challenges.1-3 ACEs can come in many forms, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),2 there are three main types of traumatic experiences: abuse (emotional, physical, sexual), household challenges (violence, mental illness, divorce), and neglect (emotional or physical). Each of these experiences during childhood can have both acute (school/academic success, behavior, development) and chronic ramifications across the lifespan. Research has found that the more ACEs one experiences, the worse the outcomes across the lifespan. In fact, a recent meta-analysis found that those adults who had experienced four or more ACEs had significantly higher odds of poorer physical health (obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease), health behaviors (physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol use, sexual risk-taking), and mental health and interpersonal