The ACE Index: mapping childhood adversity in England
The ACE Index: mapping childhood adversity in England
Background: studies of adults show that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with health and social problems and are more common among people living in deprived areas. However, there is limited information about the geographical pattern of contemporary ACEs.
Methods: we used data from the police, social services, schools and vital statistics in England to calculate population rates of events that represent childhood adversity. We constructed an ‘ACE Index’ that summarizes the relative frequency of ACEs at local authority level, informed by the methods of the Index of Multiple Deprivation. We explored associations between the ACE Index and local characteristics in cross-sectional ecological analysis.
Results: the ACE Index was strongly associated with the proportion of children that live in income-deprived households (child poverty). In addition, the ACE Index was independently associated with higher population density and was higher in certain regions, particularly the north-east.
Conclusions: the association between ACEs and child poverty provides evidence of a process in which deprivation increases the risk of adverse experiences in childhood. The ACE Index can inform allocation of resources for prevention and mitigation of ACEs.
children, public health, social determinants, child, population density, poverty, adverse childhood experiences,
Lewer, Dan
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King, Emma
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Bramley, Glen
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Fitzpatrick, Suzanne
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Treanor, Morag
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Maguire, Nicholas
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Bullock, Miriam
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Hayward, Andrew
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Story, Al
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Lewer, Dan
27159810-07f8-43b0-a49d-8e75b7f6424a
King, Emma
e17f1e1d-dd61-440e-aa47-8f01c8fa4aa0
Bramley, Glen
7f9dd832-b305-40b4-b71b-746cc10f9d45
Fitzpatrick, Suzanne
a4059761-2fc2-4ce0-ab6b-c42a13ab2a8e
Treanor, Morag
da6774da-7982-435d-be04-2fd39d492eba
Maguire, Nicholas
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Bullock, Miriam
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Hayward, Andrew
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Story, Al
1ed77fc8-f086-4ccf-b763-6848c5057d80
Lewer, Dan, King, Emma, Bramley, Glen, Fitzpatrick, Suzanne, Treanor, Morag, Maguire, Nicholas, Bullock, Miriam, Hayward, Andrew and Story, Al
(2019)
The ACE Index: mapping childhood adversity in England.
Journal of Public Health.
(doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdz158).
Abstract
Background: studies of adults show that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with health and social problems and are more common among people living in deprived areas. However, there is limited information about the geographical pattern of contemporary ACEs.
Methods: we used data from the police, social services, schools and vital statistics in England to calculate population rates of events that represent childhood adversity. We constructed an ‘ACE Index’ that summarizes the relative frequency of ACEs at local authority level, informed by the methods of the Index of Multiple Deprivation. We explored associations between the ACE Index and local characteristics in cross-sectional ecological analysis.
Results: the ACE Index was strongly associated with the proportion of children that live in income-deprived households (child poverty). In addition, the ACE Index was independently associated with higher population density and was higher in certain regions, particularly the north-east.
Conclusions: the association between ACEs and child poverty provides evidence of a process in which deprivation increases the risk of adverse experiences in childhood. The ACE Index can inform allocation of resources for prevention and mitigation of ACEs.
Text
fdz158
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 1 January 2019
e-pub ahead of print date: 27 December 2019
Keywords:
children, public health, social determinants, child, population density, poverty, adverse childhood experiences,
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 437511
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/437511
ISSN: 1741-3842
PURE UUID: 985f9164-c87c-40da-814a-b8592fce84f6
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Date deposited: 03 Feb 2020 17:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 02:52
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Contributors
Author:
Dan Lewer
Author:
Emma King
Author:
Glen Bramley
Author:
Suzanne Fitzpatrick
Author:
Morag Treanor
Author:
Miriam Bullock
Author:
Andrew Hayward
Author:
Al Story
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