American journal of preventive medicine
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Research on adverse childhood experiences is a vital part of the data-to-action link and the development of evidence-based public health and violence prevention practice. Etiological research helps to elucidate the key risk and protective factors for adverse childhood experiences and outcome research examines the consequences of exposure to them. Evaluation research is critical to building the evidence base for strategies that are likely to have a significant impact on preventing and reducing adverse experiences during childhood. ⋯ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Violence Prevention located in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control is investing in a number of research initiatives that are designed to advance what is known about the causes and consequences of adverse childhood experiences (i.e., etiological research), the strategies that are effective at reducing and preventing them (i.e., evaluation research), and how to best adapt and scale effective strategies (i.e., implementation research). This article complements the other articles in this Special Supplement by briefly providing a review of reviews for each of these areas and highlighting recent research investments and strategic directions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the area of child abuse and neglect and adverse childhood experience prevention. Research investments are critical to advancing the evidence base on the prevention of adverse childhood experiences and to ensure safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments so that all children can live to their fullest potential.
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Outpatient opioid prescribing is associated with opioid misuse in young adults, but the longitudinal association between general healthcare exposure and opioid misuse has not been explored. The objective of this study is to examine the association between healthcare exposure in young adulthood and future opioid misuse. ⋯ In young adults reporting no opioid misuse at baseline, healthcare exposure was associated with an increased risk of opioid misuse later in adulthood in this large, national cohort. Physicians encounter this at-risk population daily, reinforcing the importance of responsible prescribing practices and the need for targeted screening, patient education, and intervention efforts in the healthcare setting.
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The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is a national health-related survey with an optional adverse childhood experience (ACE) module. States use varying methodologies, question formats, and sampling frames, and little guidance exists for conducting multistate explorations of adverse childhood experiences. In this study, 6 adverse childhood experience scoring approaches are compared, and practical recommendations are offered for when and how each approach can be utilized most effectively. ⋯ Results revealed general concordance across adverse childhood experience scoring approaches when outcomes commonly occurred and when the sample was limited to just states that asked the full array of adverse childhood experiences. However, on a deeper exploration of discordant findings, specific nuances were uncovered that may help guide researchers when deciding on which approach to use on the basis of the research question and conceptual model driving study objectives.
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The heightened risk of COVID-19 infection and mortality in prisons is well documented, but COVID-19's impact on all-cause mortality in incarcerated populations has not yet been studied. This study analyzed mortality records from the Florida State Department of Corrections prison system population to evaluate the impact COVID-19 had on all-cause mortality and compare mortality rates and life expectancy with that of the overall state of Florida population. ⋯ The state of Florida prison population saw a substantial increase in mortality driven solely by COVID-19 mortality, leading to an overall 4-year decline in life expectancy. Given the findings and continued threat of COVID-19 outbreaks, Florida State Department of Corrections and other prison systems should strive to increase vaccination uptake, decrease prison populations, and commit to COVID-19 data transparency.
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Having a preterm birth is associated with future cardiovascular risk. Non-Hispanic Black women have higher rates of preterm birth than non-Hispanic White and Hispanic women, but nativity-related disparities in preterm birth are not well understood. ⋯ Foreign-born women had better cardiovascular risk profiles in all groups and lower odds of preterm birth in non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic groups. In all the 3 groups, a shorter duration of U.S. residence was associated with lower odds of preterm birth. Further studies are needed to understand the biological and social determinants underlying these nativity-related disparities and the impact of acculturation.