Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Predicting Patient Pain Outcomes Later In Life, Melissa Lowry

Honors Scholar Theses

For centuries, pain and pain management has been a driving force in the world of healthcare. Industries continue to strive for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind pain sensitivities as well as the best interventions available to overcome these mechanisms. While many of the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, recent research suggests a possible correlation between one’s personal experiences early in life and their perceptions of pain later in adulthood. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire, designed and published in 1998, consists of 10 measures of childhood trauma that can inform healthcare providers of individuals who may require trauma-informed care …

Exploring The Use Of Trauma-Informed Care Practices In Extension, Caitlin O'Brien, Martie Gillen

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

A content analysis of 63 land-grant Extension university websites was conducted to examine the promotion of trauma-informed care (TIC) through the sharing of resources, providing instructive webinars and/or in-person events, and offering comprehensive programs. While many Extension universities are sharing resources, only nine universities (14%) featured robust TIC Extension programs, and 40% shared no TIC information. Additionally, we found no indication of internal education programs across the universities on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and TIC practices for Extension faculty and staff. These findings highlight opportunities to increase efforts with the public as well as internally within Extension.

Bridging The Gap: Strategies For Enhancing Wic Participation Rates In South Dakota, Melissa K. Wyum

Honors Thesis

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a national program administered by the USDA to State agencies for low-income women and nutritionally at-risk infants and children. South Dakota WIC provides services related to breastfeeding, healthcare referrals, and accessibility/knowledge of nutritious foods. Successes of WIC include improved birth outcomes, decreased healthcare costs, regular immunization rates, establishment of a primary care provider, and improved nutrition status. Although WIC has shown positive health outcomes for mothers and children, the relationship between the barriers of WIC access and resulting health outcomes in South Dakota is unknown. According to the …

Play Over Talk: A Toolkit For Educators On Adverse Childhood Experiences, Brianna Gallegos, Mary Ann Smith, Cat Daniel

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic experiences that can lead to negative, lasting effects on the health and well-being of the child. Students who have ACEs are more likely to struggle in school, have difficulty paying attention, lack self-regulation skills, and struggle to control their emotions and behaviors. Teachers and school staff may not recognize or know how to support students who have adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) which can impact the child’s occupational role as a student. To date, a resource for school staff with information on ACEs, interventions, and strategies has not been created. The purpose of this project …

Understanding The Role Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Resilience In Police Officers, Wayne F. Handley

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Police officers are subject to a variety of stressors not only from job-related events resulting from direct or vicarious trauma exposure (Andersen & Papazoglou, 2014; Brown et al., 1999; Iversen et al., 2008) but also from family and personal concerns (Burke, 1998; Page & Jacobs, 2011), and administrative pressures originating from within their own agencies (Violanti et al., 2018; White et al., 2016). Prior to their careers as police officers, individuals may also be exposed to traumatic events early in life. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are described as negative events related to emotional, physical, or sexual abuse or neglect, exposure …

‘Things That You Can’T Really Suppress’: Adverse Childhood Experiences In The Narratives Of People With Opioid Use Disorder, Sydney Silverstein, Josef Rivera, Danielle Gainer, Raminta Daniulaityte

Psychiatry Faculty Publications

While numerous studies have established relationships between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and adult substance use, few qualitative studies have explored the differing ways in which experiences of childhood adversity are emplotted into narratives of drug use and recovery. This paper analyzes qualitative data collected as part of a mixed-methods longitudinal study of people with opioid use disorder. Narratives of adverse childhood experiences emerged unprompted. After coding qualitative data for mention of ACEs, we thematically analyzed coded data using a framework of critical phenomenology and constructed a four-part typology to differentiate the ways that ACEs were emplotted into narratives. Our …

Examining The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Covid-19 Vaccine Status Using 2022 Brfss Data: A Cross-Sectional Study, Cristhian A. Chau-Valdivia

Capstone Experience

Abstract:

Objective.To determine the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) scores with COVID-19 vaccination outcomes before and after adjusting for demographic variables.

Methods. Data were from 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys regarding 13 categories of ACEs, COVID-19 vaccination, and demographic variables. Data was weight adjusted for survey respondent data. This complex design combined the core and optional modules. Participants who received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine were categorized as vaccinated. The sample size is 12,514.

Results. Participants who were female (OR=1.35, 95% CI: [1.19,1.52]), greater than or equal to 65 years old (OR=4.76, 95% …

Chronic Stressors, Obesity Pathogenesis, And The Moderating Effect Of Internalized Weight Stigma; A Quantitative, Illinois Study, Karyn Byrne

Dissertations

The obesity epidemic is a ‘wicked’ problem with a complex web of determinants and outcomes. While generally higher for minoritized populations, prevalence rates manifest in surprising, nonlinear patterns. There is no consensus regarding treatment protocols or mitigation efforts, except that current efforts remain largely ineffective. Much research evidence that a profusion of determinants of health support obesity pathogenesis through various physiological processes and mechanisms, including the allostatic load, mitochondria functioning, the gut microbiome, and epigenetics. Intervening to support markers of the allostatic load (immunity, inflammation, and metabolic health) may provide a more effective treatment outcomes than traditional approaches, which tend …

The Relationship Between Parental Trauma History And Perceptions Regarding Their Child’S Healthcare And Utilization Of Healthcare Services, Krishna Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

TITLE: The Relationship Between Parental Trauma History and Perceptions Regarding Their Child’s Healthcare and Utilization of Healthcare Services

Adverse child events (ACEs) have been associated with a number of physical and mental health problems and have also been linked to increased health care utilization. While parents who have an ACE history may tend to seek healthcare services for themselves, limited studies have examined the impact of their trauma history on seeking healthcare services for their child. Healthcare utilization may also depend on the parents’ level of health anxiety, as well as their anxiety about their child’s health status. This …

Trauma And Resiliency, Madelyn Ferguson

Honors Projects

Life is a series of events, some overwhelmingly positive and others devastatingly negative. Because of the inevitability of adversity, one must learn to adapt to negative circumstances. However, people react to trauma in different ways with some seeking to take their own lives and others finding a healthy outlet. What causes such a difference in our reactions to trauma? Is it simply the power of thought or is there a genetic component? What can I do to build my own resilience and promote the resilience of others around me? The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between …

Play Your Aces: Clinical Practice Change For Adverse Childhood Experiences, Jordan Lefevers

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

The study included an educational module provided to healthcare providers in order to evaluate whether an increase in knowledge occurred based on responses to questions specific to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The study assessed the providers’ baseline knowledge on ACEs based on pretest data. This study aims to evaluate if there was increased knowledge after review of educational materials. Following the educational module, a follow-up posttest survey was provided via web link to assess the providers’ knowledge specific to this topic after receiving additional education. The study measured if providers lacked general awareness on ACEs, and if there was an …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Screening Among Adults In An Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit, Erika Y. Bales, Allyson Neal, Brittany Mcgill

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common amongst people of all ages, races, and socio-economic statuses. The consequence of ACEs impact ones mental and physical health and life span. High ACE scores lead to increased risk of suicide, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. The purpose of this project was to screen adults admitted to an inpatient psychiatric hospital for ACEs. This project sought to determine if there is a relationship between overall ACEs score and impact on health versus length of stay. Ultimately, the aim is to reduce negative health outcome for patients as measured by length of stay. The results …

Building Resiliency In Children Through Mindfulness, Karissa Buck

Theses and Graduate Projects

This scholarly work recognizes the profound impact of toxic stress on children as a result of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). According to the MDH (2011), ACEs are the main contributor to toxic stress within children. ACEs include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, mental illness of a household member, drug or drinking problems of a household member, divorce or separation of parents, domestic violence between adults in the household, and incarceration of a household member (MDH, 2011). Fifty-five percent of Minnesotans experience at least one adverse childhood experience during childhood. Results of toxic stress can include impaired brain development, behavioral …

Childhood Obesity And Adverse Childhood Experiences: The Role Of Medicaid Expansion, Sonya Dunlap

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Obesity was defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) over the 95th percentile as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Childhood obesity has been a worldwide concern, but has disproportionately affected the socioeconomically disadvantaged, racial/ethical minorities, and rural children. The presence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) contributed to social and health problems. ACEs included the areas of domestic violence, mental illness, neighborhood violence, parent or guardian death, divorce or separation, parent or guardian incarceration, and substance misuse.

Purpose of Study: The purpose of this research was to compare the ACEs scores with childhood …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Ecological Systems: An Examination Of Child Perception On School Climate And Connectedness, Siddhant Modi

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences permeate the environment of a child, impacting development in various ways. Research has shown that over 30% of the adult U.S population report some type of adverse childhood experience impacting development into adulthood. Research has shown that investigating areas of a child’s environment, other than the home, could assist in understanding the impact ACEs have on a child’s perception. Although previous research suggests a link between adverse childhood experiences and physical and emotional health problems, there is limited research addressing the impact ACEs have on a child’s perception of the reliability and safety in environments other than …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Hiv Risk Behaviors Among Transgender Populations, Linda Baggio

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have a negative impact on health and have created a social challenge in managing HIV risk behavior in the transgender population. The aim of this study was to determine the association between ACEs and HIV risk behavior among the transgender population and identify the association between ACE score (1, 2, 3, 4, or more) and HIV risk behavior among the transgender population. This involved a quantitative methodology using a Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) questionnaire to obtain data from 323 transgender participants. Multivariable regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between ACEs and HIV …

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Effects Of Covid-19, Evan Guo

Honors Projects

The evaluation of an adult's health status consists of several entities. These factors can include physical, mental, and emotional health in an individual's history contributing to their overall health. When studying such factors, some researchers emphasize the importance of recognizing events experienced during a person's childhood that affect their development, and therefore, their adult health status. Today, as people continue adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in regulation of standards for socialization, it is becoming apparent to healthcare researchers how these new modifications are highly impactful to the development of children and adolescents. When studying the various factors that …

Breaking Down The Impact Of Resilience On Mental Health: An Analysis Utilizing The Resilience Scale For Adults, Sydney K. Cook

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, and previous studies have determined that resilience has a relationship with mental health. However, the association of each aspect of resilience on mental health, depression, and adverse childhood events (ACEs) have not been closely examined. Discerning which aspects of resilience are associated with mental health issues, depression, and ACEs can help psychiatric nurses determine effective treatments and interventions for at-risk patients.

One hundred ninety-five community-dwelling participants (ages 18 to 89) were invited to Purdue University in Indiana and Scripps College in California for the study. Participants completed the Resilience Scale for …

Implementation Of Pediatric Adverse Childhood Experiences Screening In Primary Care, Alexzandra Hillyer

Dissertations

Implementation of Pediatric Adverse Childhood Experiences Screening in Primary Care

Problem: Over half of children worldwide have experienced abuse in the past year. In 2012, The American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement emphasizing the importance of primary care providers implementing Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening into all well-child examinations.

Methods: This quality improvement project was a descriptive, observational pilot study in which Center for Youth-Well ACE Questionnaire (CYW-ACE-Q) was implemented into a large, metropolitan pediatric primary care clinic. A convenience sample was utilized composed of pediatric patients between the ages of 5 and 18 being seen for a …

Identifying Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) In A Federally Qualified Health Center Using The Pediatric Aces And Related Life Events Screener, Melody Albarran-Slovin, Bsn, Rn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Background: Evidence links adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to health issues later in life. Most research has been conducted in adults but there is a lack of recent research on the impact of ACEs in the pediatric population particularly in relation to mental health conditions. Utilizing the Pediatric ACEs Screener (PEARLS) health care providers can screen for ACEs at earlier ages.

Purpose: The aim of this evidence-based project is to determine if there is an increase of newly diagnosed mental health related disorders when using PEARLS compared to not using PEARLS in the previous months before implementation.

Methods: ACEs were identified …

From Pipeline To Health Equity: A Case Study Of Health Profession Pipeline Students, Sonja F. Tutsch

Theses & Dissertations

Health equity arises from the social determinants of health. Access to culturally and linguistically competent health services is a major determinant of health. Despite health profession pipeline intervention efforts spanning more than 50 years, diversity in the health professions has not been achieved, and disparities in health among members of minority groups remain prevalent. Health profession pipeline programs came into existence to help grow minority representation among health professionals serving in underserved, disadvantaged, communities, where disparities in health are most prevalent. One underlying assumption was that minority students from underserved communities understand the needs of these communities best and are …

Faces Of Aces For Nursing Education, Kelsey Bredeweg, Angela Raterink

Honors Projects

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that occur in childhood. They include children experiencing violence, abuse, neglect, or witnessing violence in the home. ACEs also incorporate environmental factors that threaten a child's stability and safety, such as having family members struggle with substance abuse, mental health, or instability due to parental separation or absent family members. There is significant evidence that ACEs are related to negative health outcomes in adulthood including chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance misuse. ACEs are common and experienced by many. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 6 adults …

Screening For Adverse Childhood Experiences And Other Determinants Of Health In School Based Health Centers: A Program Evaluation, Olivia A. Domini

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Introduction: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), such as abuse, neglect, and various household stressors, are common, connected, and contribute to multiple adverse health and wellbeing outcomes throughout life. Consequently, there has been a push to screen for adversity and toxic stress in primary care to facilitate prevention and early intervention. The purpose of this project was to evaluate and optimize the use of the Broad Level Integrated Screener (BLIS) in Neighborcare Health (NCH) School Based Health Centers (SBHCs) in Seattle, WA.

Methods: An online survey including nineteen Likert-scale questions and five open-ended free response questions was administered to all middle school …

Improvement In Primary Care Identification Of Trauma Symptoms Of Foster Care Children, Crystal Lucas

Dissertations

Introduction: Exposure to adverse childhood events (ACEs) is common in foster children. Primary care providers are ideally positioned to advocate for foster care children through early identification and treatment of trauma-related symptoms and diagnoses during routine well-child assessments.

Purpose: This quality improvement project sought to institute a standardized trauma assessment instrument, the Childhood Behavioral Checklist (CBCL), to determine if there was an increase in the identification of trauma-related symptoms and diagnoses along with an increase in the rate of referral to mental health care (MHC).

Method: This quality improvement project used a descriptive, observational design to complete retrospective and prospective …

Contrasting Cumulative Risk And Multiple Individual Risk Models Of The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) And Adult Health Outcomes, Marianna Lanoue, Brandon George, Deborah L Helitzer, Scott W Keith

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: A very large body of research documents relationships between self-reported Adverse Childhood Experiences (srACEs) and adult health outcomes. Despite multiple assessment tools that use the same or similar questions, there is a great deal of inconsistency in the operationalization of self-reported childhood adversity for use as a predictor variable. Alternative conceptual models are rarely used and very limited evidence directly contrasts conceptual models to each other. Also, while a cumulative numeric 'ACE Score' is normative, there are differences in the way it is calculated and used in statistical models. We investigated differences in model fit and performance between the …

The Interaction Of Adversity, Hope, Social Support, And Academic Resilience In Emerging Appalachian Adults, Daniel Joseph Gottron Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The negative impact of adverse childhood experiences on both short-term and long-term wellbeing has been repeatedly validated across multiple populations. While adverse childhood experiences have been thoroughly researched in many contexts, this is not the case for Appalachia, which has often been relegated to the fringe of scholarly research, resulting in an overall lack of research on Appalachia. Further lacking is research into how protective factors might be utilized to help overcome adversity. While some recent research on the relationship between adverse childhood experiences, hope, and resilience has been conducted, it too has been limited to select populations. It is …

Geographical Disparity Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Chronic Diseases In Saudi Arabia, Fahad Alhowaymel

Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to numerous negative physical and mental health outcomes and have been shown to increase risk for chronic diseases in adulthood. In Saudi Arabia, few studies have examined ACEs prevalence and their relation to chronic diseases across geographical settings. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine ACEs prevalence and association with chronic diseases across the provinces of Saudi Arabia, and to determine the moderating effect of geographical setting on the ACE-chronic disease relationship. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used with an existing Saudi national dataset from the National Family Safety Program …

Promoting Resilience In Self-Management (Prism): Adverse Childhood Experiences And Impacts On Emotion Regulation, Kasey Ann Macedo

Honors Scholar Theses

PRISM (Promoting Resilience in Self-Management) is a mindfulness-based intervention that aims to strengthen emotion regulation skills among individuals by employing cognitive behavioral therapy components. The purpose of the current study is to identify the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depression, as well as to examine the changes in emotion regulation strategies of participants by comparing pre and post test data. The participants were voluntarily recruited from the Cornerstone Foundation, a homeless shelter, food pantry, and community center in Vernon, CT. The 13 participants completed PRISM through four weeks of two-hour workshop sessions in a small-group format. Results indicate …

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Raising Awareness & Creating Easier Access To Resources, Christina Sanchez-Grew

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as abuse, neglect, and witnessing household dysfunction are common throughout the United States and are occurring in our own communities. ACEs impose immediate health risks to children but also are associated with poor health outcomes in adulthood including higher rates of cancer, heart disease, chronic lung disease, obesity, depression and substance use. The goal of this project was to contribute to prevention strategies for ACEs. This was accomplished by using flyers to raise awareness and educate the community on the prevalence and outcomes of ACEs, and by using QR codes to make parenting resources easily …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Homeless Chronicity, And Age At Onset Of Homelessness, Joseph T. Tucciarone Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood adversity is associated with numerous negative outcomes across multiple domains, including mental and physical health, interrelationships, and social functioning. Notably, research suggests that childhood adversity has a dose-response relationship with these outcomes; that is, greater numbers of adverse experiences in childhood are associated with worse outcomes. These outcomes overlap with many risk factors of homelessness. This study sought to address two questions: 1) Does a dose-response relationship exist between childhood adversity and chronic homelessness? 2) Does childhood adversity negatively predict the age at which homelessness first occurs? Adults experiencing homeless who are accessing homeless services in the Tri-Cities area …