Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE's)
Journal Club
Epidemiology, risk factors, and impacts of adverse childhood experiences in Low- and middle-income countries
This SI Journal was conceived to highlight some of the gaps in ACEs research with respect to the inclusion of children and youth residing in LMIC.
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Special Issue Journal in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
While ACEs are well-studied overall, most data has been collected in adult surveys and in high-income countries (HIC) while youth in low-to-middle-income-countries (LMIC) remain under-studied. This is problematic because adults may have some difficulty recalling childhood experiences (whether due to memory or coping mechanisms) and it is likely that there are childhood adversities unique to or more prevalent in LMIC compared to HIC. Furthermore, the majority of the world’s children reside in LMIC, making the HIC-centered generalization of ACEs research of particular concern. Some studies have suggested that youth in LMIC have a higher prevalence of ACEs than youth in HIC because of the unique and complex environments in which they grow and develop. After 30 years since the landmark CDC-ACE Study, the field needs to understand the burden of ACEs among children and young adults across a broader range of settings, cultures, and contexts. Thus, to have a complete picture of ACEs epidemiology, impact, and possible prevention strategies, there is the need to have a more comprehensive understanding of the adversities faced by children and young adults living in LMIC. This special issue, epidemiology, risk factors, and impacts of adverse childhood experiences in low- and middle-income countries, was conceived to highlight some of the gaps in ACEs research with respect to the inclusion of children and youth residing in LMIC. The Special Issue sought to identify ACE studies involving children, youth, and young adults from birth to 24 years in LMIC. A breadth of ACE research was welcome, including descriptive studies examining the prevalence and implications of ACEs; the developmental impact of ACEs; the cultural relevance of ACEs measures; buffering effects of positive childhood experiences and resiliency factors; risk and protective factors; and associations with mental and physical health outcomes, risk-taking behaviors, and HIV.
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Journal Club Date:
April 30, 2024
Region:
Asia, Europe & Russia, Africa, Global
Topics:
LMIC Research & Data Collection
Child Participation
Featured Journal Articles:
Introduction to the child abuse and neglect special issue “epidemiology, risk factors, and impacts of adverse childhood experiences in low- and middle-income countries.” Article Number 106748 Leah K. Gilbert, Francis B. Annor, Colvette Brown, Shanta R. Dube
Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences in sub-Saharan Africa: A multicountry analysis of the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) Article Number 106353 Ermias W. Amene, Francis B. Annor, Leah K. Gilbert, Jordan McOwen, Angelo Augusto, Pedro Manuel, Marie Therese Virginie N’gouanma Nobah, Greta M. Massetti
Parental absence as an adverse childhood experience among young adults in sub-Saharan Africa Article Number 106556 Francis B. Annor, Ermias W. Amene, Liping Zhu, Caroline Stamatakis, Viani Picchetti, Sarah Matthews, Stephanie S. Miedema, Colvette Brown, Viva C. Thorsen, Pedro Manuel, Leah K. Gilbert, Caroline Kambona, Rachel Coomer, Joseph Trika, Rashimisa Kamuingona, Shanta R. Dube, Greta M. Massetti
Adverse childhood experiences and associations with mental health, substance use, and violence perpetration among young adults in sub-Saharan Africa Article Number 106524 Colvette Brown, Stanley Nkemjika, Jeffrey Ratto, Shanta R. Dube, Leah Gilbert, Laura Chiang, Viani Picchetti, Rachel Coomer, Caroline Kambona, Jordan McOwen, Bangaman Akani, Maman Fathim Kamagate, Andrea Low, Pedro Manuel, Angelo Agusto, Francis B. Annor
Service-seeking behaviors among male victims of violence in five African countries: The effects of positive and adverse childhood experiences Article Number 106452 Langan Denhard, Colvette Brown, Udhayashankar Kanagasabai, Viva Thorsen, Caroline Kambona, Fathim Kamagate, Puleng Ramphalla, Regina Benevides, Mwikali Kamami, Jordan McOwen, Angelo Augusto, Pedro Manuel, Rachel Coomer, Sarah Matthews, Pragna Patel, Francis B. Annor
Approaches for measuring cumulative childhood adversity: A study of youth from 5 sub-Saharan African countries Article Number 106542 Leah K. Gilbert, Sarah Matthews, Shanta R. Dube, Francis B. Annor
Adverse childhood experiences, HIV and sexual risk behaviors ― Five sub-Saharan countries, 2018–2020 Article Number 106541 Udhayashankar Kanagasabai, Viva Thorsen, Liping Zhu, Francis B. Annor, Laura Chiang, Jordan McOwen, Angelo Augusto, Pedro Manuel, Caroline Kambona, Rachel Coomer, Fathim Kamagate, Puleng Ramphalla, Langan Denhard, Meagan Cain, Jennifer Hegle, Regina Benevides de Barros, Shantal Saenz, Mwikali Kamami, Pragna Patel
Patterns of adverse childhood experiences and their associations with mental distress, substance use and sexual risk behaviors in Sub-Saharan Africa Article Number 106494 Stephanie Spaid Miedema, Caroline Stamatakis, Allison Tracy, Jennifer Hegle, Maman Fathim Kamagate, Jordan McOwen, Angelo Augusto, Pedro Manuel, Rachel Coomer, Caroline Kambona, Puleng Ramphalla, Phyllis Niolon, Pragna Patel, Francis B. Annor
Adverse childhood experiences, mental distress, self-harm and suicidality, and cumulative HIV risk by sex in Lesotho Article Number 106701 Elizabeth W. Perry Mohling, Manderley Recinos, Japheth Nkiriyehe Kwiringira, Erick Phung, Connie Olwit, Monica H. Swahn, Greta Massetti, Shannon Self-Brown
Parenting-related positive childhood experiences, adverse childhood experiences, and mental health—Four sub-Saharan African countries Article Number 106493 Marie-Kaye Soletchi Seya, Sarah Matthews, Liping Zhu, Colvette Brown, Adrienne Lefevre, Nickolas Agathis, Laura F. Chiang, Francis B. Annor, Jordan McOwen, Angelo Augusto, Pedro Manuel, Maman Fathim Kamagate, Marie-Therese Nobah, Rachel Coomer, Caroline Kambona, Andrea Low
ACEs and mental health problems as suicidality predictors in Mexican adolescents Article Number 106440 Abigail Casas-Muñoz, Ángel Eduardo Velasco-Rojano, Aarón Rodríguez-Caballero, Eva Prado-Solé, Martín G. Álvarez
ACE-IQ extended version validation and ACE's frequency in Mexican adolescents Article Number 106492 Abigail Casas-Muñoz, Ángel Eduardo Velasco-Rojano, Aarón Rodríguez-Caballero, Eva Prado-Solé, Martín G. Álvarez
Psychosocial adaptation under adverse experiences: A study on the role of empathy with adolescents from vulnerable contexts in Brazil Article Number 106298 André Vilela Komatsu, Rafaelle C.S. Costa, Fernanda Papa Buoso, Pâmela Virgínia dos Santos, Liandra Aparecida Orlando Caetano, Marina Rezende Bazon
Prevalence and associated factors of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in a sample of Brazilian university students Article Number 106030 Patrícia A. Risso, Lucas A. Jural, Ismê C. Santos, Antonio J.L.A. Cunha
The association between youth violence and mental health outcomes in Colombia: A cross sectional analysis Article Number 106336 Luissa Vahedi, Ilana Seff, Melissa Meinhart, Arturo Harker Roa, Andrés Villaveces, Lindsay Stark
Trajectories of complex posttraumatic stress symptoms among Chinese college students with childhood adversities: The role of self-compassion Article Number 106138 Liuyue Huang, Peilian Chi, Enna Wang, He Bu, Xinli Chi
Childhood environmental risk and youth bedtime procrastination: A path model with life history strategy and sense of control as mediators Article Number 106137 Lei Shao, Juanjuan Jin, Guoliang Yu
READ THE FULL SPECIAL ISSUE
Learning Objectives:
General information regarding the study of ACE’s in all context
Introduction and background for Special Issue Journal
“Why” focus on Low- and Middle-Income Countries
“Why” focus on Children and Youth
African study findings
Asian study finding
Latin America study findings
Cross-cutting themes that emerged in the papers in the Special Issue Journal
Presented By:
Dr. Leah Gilbert - Special Issue Guest Editor
National Institutes of Health
Dr. Leah Gilbert earned her Medical Degree, Master of Science in Public Health in Maternal and Child Health, and Bachelor’s in Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Gilbert has a long history of research and activism in the prevention of violence against women and children, both domestically and globally. After training as an Emergency Medicine physician, she joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer in 2012. After completing the EIS program, she served as a Medical Officer and subject matter expert in intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for the Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Her work at CDC primarily focused on implementation of the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey and the global Violence Against Children Surveys. After 10 years at CDC, she joined the National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development as a program officer. Her portfolio within the Pediatric Trauma and Critical Illness Branch focuses on all forms of violence affecting children.
Dr. Shanta Dube PhD, MPH, CYT250 - Special Issue Guest Editor
Professor Director, Master of Public Health Program Levine College of Health Sciences Wingate University
Dr. Shanta R. Dube is Professor and Director of the MPH Program at the Levine College of Health Sciences, Wingate University. Shanta received an MPH in epidemiology from The George Washington University in Washington, DC, and a PhD in Behavioral Health from University of Georgia’s College of Public Health. In 1999, she joined CDC as a Preventive Medicine Fellow and served as one of the early investigators on the landmark CDC-Kaiser ACE Study, leading to CDC awards for scientific excellence and international recognition. Since 2014, she has led and engaged in various global initiatives related to ACEs science, trauma-informed care, and substance use disorders. She has over 130 publications. She serves as Advisory Board member with Child Advocacy Centers of North Carolina and serves as Associate Editor for Child Abuse & Neglect, The International Journal. Shanta enjoys cooking and traveling with her husband and daughter.
Francis Annor, PhD, MPH - Special Issue Guest Editor
Francis Annor, PhD, MPH is a lead Epidemiologist with the US CDC Division of Violence Prevention. Dr. Annor provides leadership on data analyses and programming of the violence against children and youth survey. His research focuses on violence, risk factors, and consequences of violence against children and youth.
Colvette Brown, MPH
Division of Violence Prevention at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Colvette Brown, MPH, is a research fellow in the Division of Violence Prevention at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has worked on the global Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, and she is currently working on special projects to guide the first adaptation of the global VACS in the US. Colvette’s research interest is using evidence-based data to guide interventions aimed at preventing violence against children.
Greta Massetti, PhD, MA
CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)
Greta Massetti, PhD, MA, is the principal deputy director of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC). In this role, Dr. Massetti oversees the center’s surveillance, epidemiology, data science, and public health programmatic efforts to expand and refine CDC’s capacity to prevent all forms of injury and violence. Dr. Massetti provides leadership for NCIPC’s center priorities, including drug overdose, suicide prevention, and adverse childhood experiences.
Pedro Manuel, MSc
CDC office in Mozambique
Pedro Manuel, MSc, surveillance specialist with over 15 years of experience dedicated to public health research and surveillance particularly in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and Neglected Tropical Disease. In the past 7 years he has been working in HIV surveillance within the CDC office in Mozambique. During this time, he has been Supporting and assist MoH, National Institute of Health, participating partners and other government agencies on designing, implementing, and strengthening of the routine disease surveillance systems to identify key findings to evaluate the impact of HIV control programs in Mozambique. As part of his portfolio, he was involved in Implementing the first VACS survey in Mozambique, Biobehavioral Surveys among Key Populations (BBS), HIV Case base Surveillance, HIV Drug Resistance surveillance, Health and Demographic Surveillance, and mortality.
Phyllis Holditch Niolon, PhD
CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Phyllis Holditch Niolon, PhD, is the senior advisor for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in the Office of the Director of the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) at CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. In this role, she coordinates the DVP’s work relating to the prevention of ACEs and collaborates with both internal and external partners on advancing the field of ACEs prevention and response. She responds to high-level information requests from the legislative and executive branches of government and the media relating to ACEs and IPV. She co-authored the center’s first-ever research priorities for ACEs and is the lead author of the division’s resource for action on preventing IPV, Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Resource for Action