Statistical examination of adverse childhood experiences at family in order to improve engagement in the primary prevention of child abuse

Objectives: Statistical examination of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) at family in order to improve engagement in the primary prevention of child abuse that begins during pregnancy and immediately after childbirth. ACE... [ view full abstract ]

Objectives: Statistical examination of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) at family in order to improve engagement in the primary prevention of child abuse that begins during pregnancy and immediately after childbirth. ACE are contained “maltreatment, or not loved by parents”, “confronted with parents”, “rigorous parents”.
Method: Analysis on the relation between ACE and the outcome of rearing support for high-risk parents identified in the maternity hospitals, the municipals’ Hello Baby program and infant health checkups (the municipality group). 　
Results: In the six years between 2009 and 2014, the number of new high-risk parents in maternity hospitals and the municipality group was 2,252, of which 956 came from the maternity hospitals and 1,296 from the municipality group. Of the 356 parents who were cooperated with child guidance centers, 88 (9.2%) were in the maternity hospitals, which was fewer than the municipality group (268, 20.7%). ACE was observed in 207 subjects, of which 69 (33.3%) subjects were cooperated with child guidance centers; this number was greater than the 287 (14.0%) of 2,045 subjects who did not have ACE. The average ascertainment rates of ACE were 8.2% for the maternity hospitals and 10.0% for the municipality group. The cooperative rate with regards to child guidance centers through ascertainment pathways for the maternity hospitals was 34.6% with ACE and 6.9% in the absence of ACE, whereas for the municipality group it stood at 32.6% and 19.4%, respectively. In the event of ACE and cooperation with child guidance centers, a significant difference was found in the following risk factors: “marital disagreements and domestic violence,” “financial problems,” and “house overflowing with garbage.”
Conclusions: Rearing support for high-risk parents with ACE will be necessary to examine for financial problems and familial conflicts.