- Higher risks of depression and anxiety
- 21 million case decrease in depression with prevention of ACEs

Mental health risk factors

- People who experience ACEs more likely to have asthma, cancer, diabetes
- 1.9 million case decrease in cases of heart disease with prevention of ACEs
- 2.5 million case decrease in cases of obesity with prevention of ACEs

Physical health risk factors

- People who experience ACEs more likely to use drugs, smoke heavily, drink heavily
- Decrease of 25% in cases of smoking/heavy drinking with prevention of ACEs

Substance abuse risk factors

Experience of ACEs followed by higher risk of:
- Unemployment
- Not finishing high school
- Not having access to health insurance

Job and education potential risk factors

Mindfulness can be used to alleviate risk factors created by ACE that manifest in adulthood. Mindfulness has been used to help populations that suffer with general depression and anxiety symptoms, therefore it would be beneficial to see if mindfulness techniques are successful in this population. 

Reasons to study Mindfulness in those who experienced ACE 

- Mental health
- Physical health 
- Substance abuse
- Job and education potential


Washington State University at Tri-Cities

ACEs are potentially traumatic events occurring in childhood (ages 0-17)



Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

CDC-Kaiser ACE study Overview
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html

CDC-Kaiser ACE Study

- Experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect
- Witnessing violence in the home or community
- Having a family member attempt or die by suicide
- Growing up in a household with a family member experiencing mental health problems or incarceration

Defining ACE Traumatic Events

- Conducted at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California from 1995 to 1997
- Over 17,000 people receiving health exams completed an ACE survey

CDC-Kaiser Permanente Study

Risk Factors from ACEs

- Strengthening economic supports for families
- Promoting social norms that protect against violence/adversity
- Ensuring a strong start for children (education, Head Start programs)
- Teaching skills
- Connecting youth to caring adults
- Intervening to lessen immediate/long-term harms
- Raising awareness of ACEs: cause, effects, and how to prevent

Learn Before

Related

Learn After