The Famous Kaiser/CDC Study on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)

Although much of the research on child welfare refers to the Kaiser-Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Study on Adverse Childhood Experiences there had been no summary of this groundbreaking 1998 research on this blog. The Kaiser-CDC study documents the devastating lifelong impact of child abuse and neglect.

For this study the researchers categorized adverse childhood experiences (ACES) in the following ways:

1. Psychological abuse

2. Physical abuse

3. Sexual abuse

4. Substance abuse by household member

5. Mental illness of household member

6. Violence against the mother

7. Criminal behavior of household member

Here are the findings:

1. 52% of the people surveyed had at least one ACE.

2. 25% of the people surveyed reported two or more ACEs.

If a person had 4 or more ACEs they are more likely to suffer from each of the following than a person with no ACES:

1. They are 12 times more likely to have attempted suicide.

2. They are 4 times more likely to suffer from depression.

3. They 4 times more likely to suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

4. They are 2 times more likely to have cancer.

5. They are 2 times more like to have ischemic heart disease.

Child abuse is the single largest public health problem in the United States. Dr. Nadine Burke Harris has an excellent Ted Talk about the findings in this study.

#AnnWrixon #AdverseChildhoodExperiences #ACEs #fosteryouth