Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Risk of Premature Mortality

Background: Strong, graded relationships between exposure to childhood traumatic stressors and numerous negative health behaviors and outcomes, healthcare utilization, and overall health status inspired the question of whether these adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with premature death during adulthood. Purpose: This study aims to determine whether ACEs are associated with an increased risk of premature death during adulthood. Methods: Baseline survey data on health behaviors, health status, and exposure to ACEs were collected from 1.7,337 adults aged >18 years during 1995-1997. The ACEs included abuse (emotional, physical, sexual); witnessing domestic violence; parental separation or divorce; and growing up in a household where members were men tally ill, substance abusers, or sent to prison. The ACE score (air integer count of the eight categories of ACEs) was used as a measure of cumulative exposure to traumatic stress during childhood. Deaths were identified during follow-up assessments (between baseline appointment date and December 31, 2006) using mortality records obtained from a search of the National Death Index. Expected years of life lost (YLL) and yews of potential life lost (YPLL) were computed using standard methods. The relative fisk of death from all causes at age