Assessing The Impact On Health And School Engagement

Posted by Health Affairs on January 5, 2015

A new study in Health Affairs uses the 2011-12 National Survey of Children’s Health to assess the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among U.S. children, including exposure to violence, extreme economic hardship, family discord, and mental health and substance abuse problems. The authors find nearly one-half of U.S. children have encountered at least one of nine types of adverse experiences. Over 22 percent (one in five) had two or more such experiences; these children were more than twice as likely to have a chronic condition or special health care needs, and were over 2.5 times more likely to repeat a grade in school. The authors also found that children who learn resiliency skills — such as the capacity to usually stay calm and in control when faced with a challenge — had mitigated negative effects and better engagement in school. Children receiving care in a family-centered medical home were more likely to demonstrate key aspects of resilience even when exposed to higher numbers of adverse childhood experiences. The authors recommend a coordinated effort to fill knowledge gaps and translate existing knowledge about adverse childhood experiences and resilience into national, state, and local policies, with a focus on addressing childhood trauma in health systems as they evolve during ongoing reform.

http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/33/12/2106.abstract