Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39143489›Full record

SynthesisBMC medicine2024

The impact of adverse childhood experiences on multimorbidity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Dhaneesha N S Senaratne, Bhushan Thakkar, Blair H Smith, Tim G Hales, Louise Marryat, Lesley A Colvin

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 54 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
54citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

54 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  10. Growing in the Shadow of Mental Illness: Quality of Life, Health Status, Social Functioning, and Health Care Utilization Among Adults to Parents With Severe Mental Illness.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Dhaneesha N S SenaratneChronic Pain Research Group, Division of Population Health & Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK. dsenaratne002@dundee.ac.uk.
Bhushan ThakkarChronic Pain Research Group, Division of Population Health & Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK.
Blair H SmithChronic Pain Research Group, Division of Population Health & Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK.
Tim G HalesInstitute of Academic Anaesthesia, Division of Systems Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
Louise MarryatSchool of Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
Lesley A ColvinChronic Pain Research Group, Division of Population Health & Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/W002566/1Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been implicated in the aetiology of a range of health outcomes, including multimorbidity. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to identify, synthesise, and quantify the current evidence linking ACEs and multimorbidity.

methodsWe searched seven databases from inception to 20 July 2023: APA PsycNET, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane CENTRAL, Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. We selected studies investigating adverse events occurring during childhood (< 18 years) and an assessment of multimorbidity in adulthood (≥ 18 years). Studies that only assessed adverse events in adulthood or health outcomes in children were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-E tool. Meta-analysis of prevalence and dose-response meta-analysis methods were used for quantitative data synthesis. This review was pre-registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023389528).

resultsFrom 15,586 records, 25 studies were eligible for inclusion (total participants = 372,162). The prevalence of exposure to ≥ 1 ACEs was 48.1% (95% CI 33.4 to 63.1%). The prevalence of multimorbidity was 34.5% (95% CI 23.4 to 47.5%). Eight studies provided sufficient data for dose-response meta-analysis (total participants = 197,981). There was a significant dose-dependent relationship between ACE exposure and multimorbidity (p < 0.001), with every additional ACE exposure contributing to a 12.9% (95% CI 7.9 to 17.9%) increase in the odds for multimorbidity. However, there was heterogeneity among the included studies (I

conclusionsThis is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesise the literature on ACEs and multimorbidity, showing a dose-dependent relationship across a large number of participants. It consolidates and enhances an extensive body of literature that shows an association between ACEs and individual long-term health conditions, risky health behaviours, and other poor health outcomes.

Indexed as

Adverse Childhood ExperiencesMultimorbidityAdolescentAdultChildHumansPrevalenceAdverse childhood experiencesChildhood adversityChronic diseaseLong-term conditionsMultimorbidity

Identifiers

PMID39143489
PMCPMC11325707

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.