The Complex Interplay of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Race, and Income

Abstract

An extensive research base shows evidence of racial disparities in health outcomes, and a growing body of evidence points to associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and poor health. This study uses data from the 2011 and 2012 Wisconsin Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys to identify the relative contributions of ACEs, race, and adult income to predicting three sets of adverse adult health outcomes. The authors found that controlling for demographic factors, ACEs strongly predict health risk behaviors, indicators of poor general health, and chronic health conditions. Adult low-income status is associated with poor general health and chronic health conditions, but not health risk behaviors. African American race is marginally associated only with indicators of poor general health, and this association is attenuated when ACEs and adult income are controlled. These findings suggest a complex interplay among ACEs, race, and income.

The Racial and Gender Differences in the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Juvenile Residential Placement

“…The authors found that Black race is marginally associated with poor general health, and the relationship was weakened when controlling for ACEs and adult income. This finding suggests that ACEs and adult income may partially mediate the relationship between race and some health outcomes (Slack, Font, & Jones, 2016).…”

“…One study utilized a sample of urban minority young adults in Chicago found that 80% of that sample reported at least one ACE as compared to 64% of respondents in the original ACE study (Mersky, Topitzes, & Reynolds, 2013). Similarly, Slack, Font, and Jones (2016) examined how ACEs, race, and adult income predicted adverse health outcomes. The authors found that Black race is marginally associated with poor general health, and the relationship was weakened when controlling for ACEs and adult income.…”

Considering the Mediating Effects of Drug and Alcohol Use, Mental Health, and Their Co-Occurrence on the Adverse Childhood Experiences–Recidivism Relationship

“…Prior research has consistently found that minority children face cumulative disadvantage, including living in a low-income neighborhood, having a lower family income, and witnessing violence that have negative effects on healthy development (Gerard & Buehler, 2004;Roberts, Gilman, Breslau, Breslau, & Koenen, 2011). In a study by Slack, Font, and Jones (2017), the authors found that race was marginally associated with poor general health, and the relationship was weakened when controlling for ACEs and adult income. Several studies have also examined gender differences in ACE exposure.…”

Capability and adversity: reframing the “causes of the causes” for mental health

“…Deliberately limited to household effects, ACEs exclude important factors taking place outside the home, such as bullying (Lereya et al, 2015) and racial discrimination (Slack et al, 2016). Researchers have therefore proposed amending the original ten measures to include a range of other harmful exposures, such as racism, witnessing community violence, living in an unsafe neighbourhood, bullying, a history of foster care, parental death, food scarcity, parents always arguing, peer rejection, low socioeconomic status, poor academic performance and having no good friends (Finkelhor et al, 2013;Wade et al, 2016).…”