Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41248303›Full record

ArticleThe Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry2026

The prevalence of potentially traumatic events in childhood and associations with mental disorders, suicide and physical health in adulthood: An Australian nationally representative cross-sectional study.

Emma L Barrett, Lucinda Grummitt, Sam Jones, Kirsty Rowlinson, Fotini Vasilopoulos, Maree Teesson, Katherine L Mills, Matthew Sunderland

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
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

8 authors.

Emma L BarrettThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-0540-5691
Lucinda GrummittThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-4466-7731
Sam JonesThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0009-0006-6135-0452
Kirsty RowlinsonThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5206-3618
Fotini VasilopoulosThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Maree TeessonThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6744-463X
Katherine L MillsThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Matthew SunderlandThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Funding

Australian Government Department of Health and conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grant APP1195852
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study aimed to estimate the population prevalence of exposure to potentially traumatic events (e.g. serious accidents, physical or sexual violence and natural disasters) during childhood among Australians and examine associations between childhood potentially traumatic events and mental disorders, suicide and long-term physical health conditions.

methodsSurvey data from the 2020 to 2022 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing were analysed, which included a nationally representative household sample of Australians aged 16-85 years (

resultsUp to 42% of Australians (approx. 8,250,948) have been exposed to a potentially traumatic event prior to the age of 18 years. The more common types of potentially traumatic events experienced prior to 18 years were unexpected death of a loved one (27.5%), witnessing domestic violence (21.1%), sexual assault (21.0%) and witnessing serious injury or death (20.0%). Australians exposed to childhood potentially traumatic events had significantly higher odds of any lifetime

conclusionChildhood potentially traumatic events are prevalent in the Australian general population and associated with serious mental and physical health conditions. These findings have important implications for early detection and intervention, trauma-informed healthcare approaches, and for policy and practice across health, education and social service systems.

Indexed as

Adverse Childhood ExperiencesHealth StatusMental DisordersSuicideAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAustraliaChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceChild traumamental healthphysical healthsuicide

Identifiers

PMID41248303
PMCPMC12759102

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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.