Twenty-five years ago, a watershed study on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) first established a relationship between childhood trauma and long-term health impacts that can last well into adulthood. Since then, numerous related studies have corroborated the association between ACEs and mental health and substance use disorders as well as diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Today, many public health experts recognize childhood trauma as a public health threat, not so different from the threat posed by infectious diseases such as COVID-19. And, similar to the way that medical science has developed tools such as vaccines to prevent illness caused by pathogens, research has identified strategies that can prevent childhood trauma or provide children and families with tools to limit more lasting harms.
As with other public health strategies, identifying populations most at risk for harm can help focus interventions to improve people’s health and lives. To do that for ACEs, it is critical to understand disparities in children’s exposure to traumatic experiences. (author introduction)