Adverse Childhood Experiences and Cardiovascular Risk among Young Adults: Findings from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Dylan B. Jackson (), Alexander Testa, Krista P. Woodward, Farah Qureshi, Kyle T. Ganson and Jason M. Nagata
Additional contact information
Dylan B. Jackson: John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Alexander Testa: Department of Management, Policy & Community Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Krista P. Woodward: John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Farah Qureshi: John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Kyle T. Ganson: Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
Jason M. Nagata: Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-18

Abstract: Background: Heart disease is the fourth leading cause of death for young adults aged 18–34 in the United States. Recent research suggests that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may shape cardiovascular health and its proximate antecedents. In the current study, we draw on a contemporary, national sample to examine the association between ACEs and cardiovascular health among young adults in the United States, as well as potential mediating pathways. Methods: The present study uses data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to examine associations between ACEs and cardiovascular risk, as well as the role of cumulative disadvantage and poor mental health in these associations. Results: Findings indicate that young adults who have experienced a greater number of ACEs have a higher likelihood of having moderate to high cardiovascular risk compared to those who have zero or few reported ACEs. Moreover, both poor mental health and cumulative disadvantage explain a significant proportion of this association. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that young adulthood is an appropriate age for deploying prevention efforts related to cardiovascular risk, particularly for young adults reporting high levels of ACEs.

Keywords: cardiovascular; adverse childhood experiences; young adults; health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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