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Written by Hannah Harp
Spoon Feed
This systematic review of studies on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) showed that ACEs remain prevalent — 58% of children had experienced at least 1 ACE before the age of 18.
Summary
This systematic review and meta-analysis explored the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among children aged 0-18 years, assessing data from 65 studies across 18 countries, with 490,423 participants. The study found 42% had no ACEs, while 22%, 13%, 8%, and 15% experienced 1, 2, 3, and 4 or more ACEs, respectively. Higher prevalence of 4 or more ACEs was observed among Indigenous children (84%), adolescents (24.7%), and those in residential care (40%). Key limitations include limited global representation and a focus on specific ACE questionnaires. The findings underscore the need for targeted prevention and systemic reforms to address childhood adversity effectively. (AI-generated)
An ACE up the sleeve
This review pulls together results from 65 different studies of prevalence of ACEs and hammers home the point that most children have experienced an adverse childhood event and are at risk for associated chronic illnesses in the future. The results also demonstrated disparities across demographics. More children in residential care (40%), a history of juvenile offense (39%), or with Indigenous heritage (84%) had experienced 4 or more ACEs. While the methodologies, patient populations, and actual questionnaires used are disparate among the studies reviewed, the results are intuitive and consistent with previous adult recall studies.
How will this change my practice?
I won’t change anything specific based on this review, but this does reinforce the importance of screening for social needs and providing trauma-informed care for patients from a young age. I’ll be on the lookout for more studies around interventions for childhood trauma and how we can foster resilience in our kids.
Source
Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Child Population Samples: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2024 Nov 11:e244385. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.4385. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39527072
