Childhood trauma linked to chronic diseases in adulthood: Implications on the medical and economic burden of human trafficking.
Abstract
Emotional, mental, and physical trauma during
childhood are correlated with higher risk for many
diseases that occur during adulthood, including
coronary heart disease, depression, autoimmune
disease, and drug addiction. The Adverse Childhood
Experiences (ACE) Study, a long-term study
spanning over a decade representing middle-class
urban America, revealed invaluable data linking
child abuse to the risk of chronic diseases. Children
and adolescents who are victims of sex or labor
trafficking experience the same types of trauma,
but to a greater extent and are thus at elevated
risk for chronic diseases later in life. They are a
group to which the ACE Study directly applies and
represent a population that will continue to add to
the economic burden of chronic diseases on society,
if the proper public health attention is not given to
this widespread problem.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
human trafficking, adverse affects, long term effects, medical, economic
Citation
Felitti, V. J. (2013). Childhood trauma linked to chronic diseases in adulthood: Implications on the medical and economic burden of human trafficking. Public Health & Social Justice, 2(1).