The impact of adverse childhood experiences on older adults’s health measured via comprehensive geriatric assessment

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur up to the age of 18 years. Such trauma often results in chronic psychological stress that is associated with negative health outcomes across the lifespan. The aim of this study is to investigate associations between ACEs and health outcomes in older adults.

Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional design. Socio-demographic information on patients’ age, gender, marital status, living status, and education level were collected. Furthermore, a comprehensive geriatric assessment and ACE scale were conducted. The ACE scale consisted of 10 questions that were categorised as psychological, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as neglect. The relationship between detailed comprehensive geriatric assessment parameters and ACE were analyzed.

Results: There were 276 (mean age 77.9 ± 7.3 years, and 74.3% female) patients included in the study. The prevalence of ACEs was 43.1%, with psychological ACE being the most common. Female gender, number of medications, the presence of insomnia and dysphagia were higher in older patients who experienced at least one ACE than those without ACE (P < 0.05). In multivariate analyses, only the relationship between insomnia and ACE persisted (odds ratio 1.83, 95% CI 1.12–3.01; P < 0.05).

Conclusions: ACEs were detected in approximately one in every two older adults. Those with ACEs were 1.8 times more likely to experience insomnia. Therefore, when evaluating an older patient with insomnia, ACEs should be evaluated and insomnia should also be questioned in older patients who have experienced ACE.