Bay Area Research Group to Focus on 'Adverse Childhood Experiences'

It's been more than 15 years since a team of researchers, led by a California physician, identified how traumatic events in childhood can be associated with risk factors for the leading causes of death later in life.

The team referred to the traumatic events they assessed -- including emotional, physical or sexual abuse, as well as household dysfunction -- as "adverse childhood experiences" or ACEs.

It's a straightforward 10-question quiz of abuse and neglect. The more times you answer "yes," the greater your risk of physical health as an adult.

It's taken awhile for the idea that ACEs can profoundly shape adult health to take hold. But over the last few years, the concept of ACEs have entered more mainstream conversations. Still, there's no recommended screening. A new Bay Area research collaboration wants to change that.

The San Francisco Center for Youth and Wellness, in partnership with researchers at UC San Francisco children's hospitals in both San Francisco and Oakland have teamed up to launch a multi-year study to evaluate screening for ACEs in primary care settings.

The goal is "to develop and create a prospective pediatric screening tool which currently doesn't exist," said pediatrician Dayna Long who directs the health equity initiatives program at UCSF Children's Hospital Oakland.

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based Center for Youth Wellness.  She says that the influential American Academy of Pediatrics told her that a "rigorous study" showing the impact of screening is needed, before it would recommend that its pediatrician members commence doing so.

The group's research is funded by a $4.8 million grant from the Tara Health Foundation. "This is the type of research that the NIH isn't funding right now," Burke Harris said, in reference to the federal government's National Institutes of Health. "So to be able to have organizations like Tara Health Foundation step up to advance the science is absolutely critical."

If the researchers can demonstrate the impact of screening, then the next step is treatment. "Once we validate the screening tool," says Long, "we're going to be able to pilot different intervention and mental health treatments to mitigate the harmful consequences of ACEs and prevent long term consequences."

Learn more about ACEs.