Adverse childhood experiences and associations with health-harming behaviours in young adults: surveys in eight eastern European countries
Objective To evaluate the association between adverse childhood experiences – e.g. abuse, neglect, domestic violence and parental separation, substance use, mental illness or incarceration – and the health of young adults in eight eastern European countries. Methods Between 2010 and 2013, adverse...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The World Health Organization
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| Series: | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862014000900009&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1797288504025153536 |
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| author | Mark A Bellis Karen Hughes Nicola Leckenby Lisa Jones Adriana Baban Margarita Kachaeva Robertas Povilaitis Iveta Pudule Gentiana Qirjako Betül Ulukol Marija Raleva Natasa Terzic |
| author_facet | Mark A Bellis Karen Hughes Nicola Leckenby Lisa Jones Adriana Baban Margarita Kachaeva Robertas Povilaitis Iveta Pudule Gentiana Qirjako Betül Ulukol Marija Raleva Natasa Terzic |
| author_sort | Mark A Bellis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective To evaluate the association between adverse childhood experiences – e.g. abuse, neglect, domestic violence and parental separation, substance use, mental illness or incarceration – and the health of young adults in eight eastern European countries. Methods Between 2010 and 2013, adverse childhood experience surveys were undertaken in Albania, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Romania, the Russian Federation, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey. There were 10 696 respondents – 59.7% female – aged 18–25 years. Multivariate modelling was used to investigate the relationships between adverse childhood experiences and health-harming behaviours in early adulthood including substance use, physical inactivity and attempted suicide. Findings Over half of the respondents reported at least one adverse childhood experience. Having one adverse childhood experience increased the probability of having other adverse childhood experiences. The number of adverse childhood experiences was positively correlated with subsequent reports of health-harming behaviours. Compared with those who reported no adverse experiences, respondents who reported at least four adverse childhood experiences were at significantly increased risk of many health-harming behaviours, with odds ratios varying from 1.68 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.32–2.15) – for physical inactivity – to 48.53 (95% CI: 31.98–76.65) – for attempted suicide. Modelling indicated that prevention of adverse childhood experiences would substantially reduce the occurrence of many health-harming behaviours within the study population. Conclusion Our results indicate that individuals who do not develop health-harming behaviours are more likely to have experienced safe, nurturing childhoods. Evidence-based programmes to improve parenting and support child development need large-scale deployment in eastern European. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:50:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6ff2ff41a7ad462eb1dc8fe518fb5c65 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0042-9686 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:50:27Z |
| publisher | The World Health Organization |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| spelling | doaj.art-6ff2ff41a7ad462eb1dc8fe518fb5c652024-03-02T01:45:39ZengThe World Health OrganizationBulletin of the World Health Organization0042-968692964165510.2471/BLT.13.129247S0042-96862014000900009Adverse childhood experiences and associations with health-harming behaviours in young adults: surveys in eight eastern European countriesMark A BellisKaren HughesNicola LeckenbyLisa JonesAdriana BabanMargarita KachaevaRobertas PovilaitisIveta PuduleGentiana QirjakoBetül UlukolMarija RalevaNatasa TerzicObjective To evaluate the association between adverse childhood experiences – e.g. abuse, neglect, domestic violence and parental separation, substance use, mental illness or incarceration – and the health of young adults in eight eastern European countries. Methods Between 2010 and 2013, adverse childhood experience surveys were undertaken in Albania, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Romania, the Russian Federation, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey. There were 10 696 respondents – 59.7% female – aged 18–25 years. Multivariate modelling was used to investigate the relationships between adverse childhood experiences and health-harming behaviours in early adulthood including substance use, physical inactivity and attempted suicide. Findings Over half of the respondents reported at least one adverse childhood experience. Having one adverse childhood experience increased the probability of having other adverse childhood experiences. The number of adverse childhood experiences was positively correlated with subsequent reports of health-harming behaviours. Compared with those who reported no adverse experiences, respondents who reported at least four adverse childhood experiences were at significantly increased risk of many health-harming behaviours, with odds ratios varying from 1.68 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.32–2.15) – for physical inactivity – to 48.53 (95% CI: 31.98–76.65) – for attempted suicide. Modelling indicated that prevention of adverse childhood experiences would substantially reduce the occurrence of many health-harming behaviours within the study population. Conclusion Our results indicate that individuals who do not develop health-harming behaviours are more likely to have experienced safe, nurturing childhoods. Evidence-based programmes to improve parenting and support child development need large-scale deployment in eastern European.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862014000900009&lng=en&tlng=en |
| spellingShingle | Mark A Bellis Karen Hughes Nicola Leckenby Lisa Jones Adriana Baban Margarita Kachaeva Robertas Povilaitis Iveta Pudule Gentiana Qirjako Betül Ulukol Marija Raleva Natasa Terzic Adverse childhood experiences and associations with health-harming behaviours in young adults: surveys in eight eastern European countries Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| title | Adverse childhood experiences and associations with health-harming behaviours in young adults: surveys in eight eastern European countries |
| title_full | Adverse childhood experiences and associations with health-harming behaviours in young adults: surveys in eight eastern European countries |
| title_fullStr | Adverse childhood experiences and associations with health-harming behaviours in young adults: surveys in eight eastern European countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adverse childhood experiences and associations with health-harming behaviours in young adults: surveys in eight eastern European countries |
| title_short | Adverse childhood experiences and associations with health-harming behaviours in young adults: surveys in eight eastern European countries |
| title_sort | adverse childhood experiences and associations with health harming behaviours in young adults surveys in eight eastern european countries |
| url | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862014000900009&lng=en&tlng=en |
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