Dataset Information

Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences among individuals aged 45 to 85 years: a cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Population-level prevalence estimates for a broad range of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which are known to affect health across the lifespan, are currently unavailable in Canada. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of individual ACEs by sociodemographic factors among middle-aged and older adults.

Methods

Data for this cross-sectional analysis were obtained from the first follow-up (2015-2018) of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (baseline recruitment from 2011 to 2015). Participants included individuals aged 45-85 years and residing in the community in the 10 Canadian provinces. Exposure to ACEs was assessed using a retrospective, self-report questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to obtain the adjusted prevalence estimates of ACEs within groups formed by the sociodemographic characteristics and each variable was adjusted for all other sociodemographic variables.

Results

Of the 44 817 participants in the first follow-up, 61.6% (weighted) reported exposure to at least 1 ACE. Exposure to physical abuse (weighted prevalence of 25.7%), intimate partner violence (22.4%) and emotional abuse (21.8%) were the most prevalent types of ACEs. Individuals younger than 65 years (born in 1950-1969), with no postsecondary education or education below a bachelor's degree, or with annual household income less than $20 000 reported greater exposure to ACEs. Reporting for many ACEs was higher among women and those of nonheterosexual orientation. Overall, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec reported relatively higher prevalence for several examined categories of ACEs.

Interpretation

Adverse childhood experiences were highly prevalent across all demographic groups with substantial heterogeneity in the distribution among the middle and older age population. The high prevalence of ACEs and their potential negative consequences on health and well-being emphasize the need to develop and promote trauma-informed care to assist individuals affected by ACEs.

SUBMITTER: Joshi D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8034300 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:ObjectiveTo describe the sociodemographic characteristics associated with e-cigarette ever use and to examine the impact of e-cigarette ever use on lung function impairment in an ageing population.DesignA cross-sectional analysis of data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.SettingA national stratified sample of 44 817 adults living in Canadian provinces.ParticipantsRespondents included participants aged 45-85 and residing in the community in Canadian provinces.Outcome measuresThe Global Lung Function Initiative normative values for forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory ratio (FEV1/FVC) appropriate for age, sex, height and ethnicity were used to interpret the severity of lung function impairment. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the impact of e-cigarette ever use on obstructive and restrictive lung function impairment.ResultsThe prevalence of e-cigarette ever use was 6.5% and varied by sociodemographic factors including higher prevalence among individuals younger than 65 years, those with lower education attainment and those with lower annual household income. E-cigarette ever use was associated with 2.10 (95% CI 1.57 to 2.08) times higher odds of obstructive lung function impairment after adjusting for conventional cigarette smoking and other covariates. Individuals with exposure to e-cigarette ever use and 15 or more pack-years had 7.43 (95% CI 5.30 to 10.38) times higher odds for obstructive lung function impairment when compared with non-smokers and non-e-cigarette users after adjusting for covariates. Smokers with 15 or more pack-years had higher odds of restrictive lung function impairment irrespective of e-cigarette ever use.ConclusionsEver use of e-cigarettes was found to be associated with obstructive lung function impairment after adjusting for covariates, suggesting that e-cigarette use may be adding to the respiratory and other chronic disease burden in the population.

Project description:ImportanceAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with the risk of poorer health, and identifying molecular mechanisms may lay the foundation for health promotion in people with ACEs.ObjectiveTo investigate the associations of ACEs with changes in epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), a biomarker associated with various health outcomes in middle-aged adults, in a population with balanced race and sex demographics.Design, setting, and participantsData for this cohort study were from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Participants in CARDIA underwent 8 follow-up exams from baseline (year 0 [Y0]; 1985-1986) to Y30 (2015-2016), and participant blood DNA methylation information was obtained at Y15 (2000-2001) and Y20 (2005-2006). Individuals from Y15 and Y20 with available DNA methylation data and complete variables for ACEs and covariates were included. Data were analyzed from September 2021 to August 2022.ExposuresParticipant ACEs (general negligence, emotional negligence, physical violence, physical negligence, household substance abuse, verbal and emotional abuse, and household dysfunction) were obtained at Y15.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome consisted of results from 5 DNA methylation-based EAA measurements known to be associated with biological aging and long-term health: intrinsic EAA (IEAA), extrinsic EAA (EEAA), PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAA), GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA), and Dunedin Pace of Aging Calculated From the Epigenome (DunedinPACE), measured at Y15 and Y20. Linear regression and generalized estimating equations were used to assess associations of the burden of ACEs (≥4 vs <4 ACEs) with EAA adjusting for demographics, health-related behaviors, and early life and adult socioeconomic status.ResultsA total of 895 participants for Y15 (mean [SD] age, 40.4 [3.5] years; 450 males [50.3%] and 445 females [49.7%]; 319 Black [35.6%] and 576 White [64.4%]) and 867 participants for Y20 (mean [SD] age, 45.4 [3.5] years; 432 males [49.8%] and 435 females [50.2%]; 306 Black [35.3%] and 561 White [64.7%]) were included after excluding participants with missing data. There were 185 participants with (20.7%) vs 710 participants without (79.3%) 4 or more ACEs at Y15 and 179 participants with (20.6%) vs 688 participants without (79.4%) 4 or more ACEs at Y20. Having 4 or more ACEs was positively associated with EAA in years at Y15 (EEAA: β = 0.60 years; 95% CI, 0.18-1.02 years; PhenoAA: β = 0.62 years; 95% CI = 0.13-1.11 years; GrimAA: β = 0.71 years; 95% CI, 0.42-1.00 years; DunedinPACE: β = 0.01; 95% CI, 0.01-0.02) and Y20 (IEAA: β = 0.41 years; 95% CI, 0.05-0.77 years; EEAA: β = 1.05 years; 95% CI, 0.66-1.44 years; PhenoAA: β = 0.57 years; 95% CI, 0.08-1.05 years; GrimAA: β = 0.57 years; 95% CI, 0.28-0.87 years; DunedinPACE: β = 0.01; 95% CI, 0.01-0.02) after adjusting for demographics, health-related behaviors, and socioeconomic status.Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study, ACEs were associated with EAA among middle-aged adults after controlling for demographics, behavior, and socioeconomic status. These findings of the associations between early life experience and the biological aging process in midlife may contribute to health promotion in a life course perspective.