Adverse childhood experiences and sources of childhood resilience: a retrospective study of their combined relationships with child health and educational attendance
Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) including maltreatment and exposure to household stressors can impact the health of children. Community factors that provide support, friendship and opportunities for development may build children’s resilience and protect them against some ha...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
BMC
2018-06-01
|
Series: | BMC Public Health |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-018-5699-8 |
id |
doaj-34f2c155251d4a34844848b5130fc48f |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-34f2c155251d4a34844848b5130fc48f2020-11-25T00:45:15ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582018-06-0118111210.1186/s12889-018-5699-8Adverse childhood experiences and sources of childhood resilience: a retrospective study of their combined relationships with child health and educational attendanceMark A. Bellis0Karen Hughes1Kat Ford2Katie A. Hardcastle3Catherine A. Sharp4Sara Wood5Lucia Homolova6Alisha Davies7College of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor UniversityCollege of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor UniversityCollege of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor UniversityPolicy, Research and International Development Directorate, Public Health WalesCollege of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor UniversityPolicy, Research and International Development Directorate, Public Health WalesPolicy, Research and International Development Directorate, Public Health WalesPolicy, Research and International Development Directorate, Public Health WalesAbstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) including maltreatment and exposure to household stressors can impact the health of children. Community factors that provide support, friendship and opportunities for development may build children’s resilience and protect them against some harmful impacts of ACEs. We examine if a history of ACEs is associated with poor childhood health and school attendance and the extent to which such outcomes are counteracted by community resilience assets. Methods A national (Wales) cross-sectional retrospective survey (n = 2452) using a stratified random probability sampling methodology and including a boost sample (n = 471) of Welsh speakers. Data collection used face-to-face interviews at participants’ places of residence. Outcome measures were self-reported poor childhood health, specific conditions (asthma, allergies, headaches, digestive disorders) and school absenteeism. Results Prevalence of each common childhood condition, poor childhood health and school absenteeism increased with number of ACEs reported. Childhood community resilience assets (being treated fairly, supportive childhood friends, being given opportunities to use your abilities, access to a trusted adult and having someone to look up to) were independently linked to better outcomes. In those with ≥4 ACEs the presence of all significant resilience assets (vs none) reduced adjusted prevalence of poor childhood health from 59.8 to 21.3%. Conclusions Better prevention of ACEs through the combined actions of public services may reduce levels of common childhood conditions, improve school attendance and help alleviate pressures on public services. Whilst the eradication of ACEs remains unlikely, actions to strengthen community resilience assets may partially offset their immediate harms.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-018-5699-8Adverse childhood experiencesResilienceSchool attendanceDigestive diseasesAsthma |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Mark A. Bellis Karen Hughes Kat Ford Katie A. Hardcastle Catherine A. Sharp Sara Wood Lucia Homolova Alisha Davies |
spellingShingle |
Mark A. Bellis Karen Hughes Kat Ford Katie A. Hardcastle Catherine A. Sharp Sara Wood Lucia Homolova Alisha Davies Adverse childhood experiences and sources of childhood resilience: a retrospective study of their combined relationships with child health and educational attendance BMC Public Health Adverse childhood experiences Resilience School attendance Digestive diseases Asthma |
author_facet |
Mark A. Bellis Karen Hughes Kat Ford Katie A. Hardcastle Catherine A. Sharp Sara Wood Lucia Homolova Alisha Davies |
author_sort |
Mark A. Bellis |
title |
Adverse childhood experiences and sources of childhood resilience: a retrospective study of their combined relationships with child health and educational attendance |
title_short |
Adverse childhood experiences and sources of childhood resilience: a retrospective study of their combined relationships with child health and educational attendance |
title_full |
Adverse childhood experiences and sources of childhood resilience: a retrospective study of their combined relationships with child health and educational attendance |
title_fullStr |
Adverse childhood experiences and sources of childhood resilience: a retrospective study of their combined relationships with child health and educational attendance |
title_full_unstemmed |
Adverse childhood experiences and sources of childhood resilience: a retrospective study of their combined relationships with child health and educational attendance |
title_sort |
adverse childhood experiences and sources of childhood resilience: a retrospective study of their combined relationships with child health and educational attendance |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Public Health |
issn |
1471-2458 |
publishDate |
2018-06-01 |
description |
Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) including maltreatment and exposure to household stressors can impact the health of children. Community factors that provide support, friendship and opportunities for development may build children’s resilience and protect them against some harmful impacts of ACEs. We examine if a history of ACEs is associated with poor childhood health and school attendance and the extent to which such outcomes are counteracted by community resilience assets. Methods A national (Wales) cross-sectional retrospective survey (n = 2452) using a stratified random probability sampling methodology and including a boost sample (n = 471) of Welsh speakers. Data collection used face-to-face interviews at participants’ places of residence. Outcome measures were self-reported poor childhood health, specific conditions (asthma, allergies, headaches, digestive disorders) and school absenteeism. Results Prevalence of each common childhood condition, poor childhood health and school absenteeism increased with number of ACEs reported. Childhood community resilience assets (being treated fairly, supportive childhood friends, being given opportunities to use your abilities, access to a trusted adult and having someone to look up to) were independently linked to better outcomes. In those with ≥4 ACEs the presence of all significant resilience assets (vs none) reduced adjusted prevalence of poor childhood health from 59.8 to 21.3%. Conclusions Better prevention of ACEs through the combined actions of public services may reduce levels of common childhood conditions, improve school attendance and help alleviate pressures on public services. Whilst the eradication of ACEs remains unlikely, actions to strengthen community resilience assets may partially offset their immediate harms. |
topic |
Adverse childhood experiences Resilience School attendance Digestive diseases Asthma |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-018-5699-8 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT markabellis adversechildhoodexperiencesandsourcesofchildhoodresiliencearetrospectivestudyoftheircombinedrelationshipswithchildhealthandeducationalattendance AT karenhughes adversechildhoodexperiencesandsourcesofchildhoodresiliencearetrospectivestudyoftheircombinedrelationshipswithchildhealthandeducationalattendance AT katford adversechildhoodexperiencesandsourcesofchildhoodresiliencearetrospectivestudyoftheircombinedrelationshipswithchildhealthandeducationalattendance AT katieahardcastle adversechildhoodexperiencesandsourcesofchildhoodresiliencearetrospectivestudyoftheircombinedrelationshipswithchildhealthandeducationalattendance AT catherineasharp adversechildhoodexperiencesandsourcesofchildhoodresiliencearetrospectivestudyoftheircombinedrelationshipswithchildhealthandeducationalattendance AT sarawood adversechildhoodexperiencesandsourcesofchildhoodresiliencearetrospectivestudyoftheircombinedrelationshipswithchildhealthandeducationalattendance AT luciahomolova adversechildhoodexperiencesandsourcesofchildhoodresiliencearetrospectivestudyoftheircombinedrelationshipswithchildhealthandeducationalattendance AT alishadavies adversechildhoodexperiencesandsourcesofchildhoodresiliencearetrospectivestudyoftheircombinedrelationshipswithchildhealthandeducationalattendance |
_version_ |
1725271330647965696 |