Adverse childhood experiences in depression and the mediating role of multimorbidity in mid-late life: A nationwide longitudinal study

Socioeconomic status and depression in later life: longitudinal mediation effects of activities of daily living

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with both depression and activities of daily living (ADL and IADL). However, the role of ADL as a biological mechanism in the relationship between SES and late-life depression, examined through longitudinal data, remains understudied. This study explored the longitudinal mediation effects of basic ADL or IADL on the SES-depression link in older adults.

METHODS

Data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 4104) were utilized. Mediation analysis was performed using parallel process latent growth curve modeling.

RESULTS

The average age of participants was 57.76 years, and 55.7% being females. Significant linear growth over time was observed in ADL, IADL, and depression. Adjusting for covariates, SES was positively linked to the initial levels (intercepts) of ADL (βiADL=-0.100[-0.143, -0.057]), IADL (βiIADL=-0.140[-0.185, -0.095]), and depression (βiDEP=-0.103[-0.158, -0.048]). However, SES showed no significant correlation with the rate of change (slopes) in ADL, IADL, or depression (P > 0.05). The intercepts of ADL (βiDEP = 0.566[0.503, 0.629]) and IADL (βiDEP = 0.607[0.544, 0.670]) were positively correlated with the depression intercept but negatively with the depression slope. Conversely, the slopes of ADL and IADL were positively associated with the depression slope. These results suggest a negative indirect relationship between SES and the initial level of depression, but a positive indirect relationship with the rate of increase in depression through ADL (or IADL) intercept.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher SES is associated with a lower initial risk of depression and ADL difficulties. However, this same higher SES may relate to a faster increase in ADL difficulties and depression among middle-aged and older adults. The findings underscore the need for increased governmental healthcare funding and improved healthcare accessibility. Additionally, maintaining adequate sleep and physical activity can help prevent disability and reduce depression risk later in life, particularly among older adults with lower SES.

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

BACKGROUND

Adverse 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.

METHODS

We 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).

RESULTS

From 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 (I2 = 76.9%, Cochran Q = 102, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This 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.

Childhood intra- and extra-familial maltreatment and later-life trajectories of depressive symptoms: evidence from China

BACKGROUND

Both late-life depression and childhood maltreatment have become major global public health issues, given their prevalence and social-economic and health consequences. However, previous studies have solely focused on the relationship of childhood maltreatment to average levels of depressive symptoms. The current study addresses this gap of knowledge by simultaneously examining the impacts of childhood intra- and extra-familial maltreatment on age trajectories of depressive symptoms in later life in the Chinese context.

METHODS

Hierarchical linear models were applied to data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2018, N = 12,669 individuals aged 45 to 80, comprising N = 43,348 person-years). Depressive symptoms were measured by the CES-D-10 scale. Childhood intra-familial maltreatments were measured by physical abuse and emotional neglect, while extra-familial maltreatment was measured by peer bullying. All analyses were conducted separately by gender in Stata 16.

RESULTS

Childhood extrafamilial peer bullying (β = 1.628, p < 0.001), and intrafamilial physical abuse (β = 0.746, p < 0.001) and emotional neglect (β = 0.880, p < 0.001) were associated with higher later-life depressive symptoms levels in the whole sample. Peer bullying differences in depressive symptoms widened with age for both men and women. Physical abuse differences in depressive symptoms remained stable over the life course among men but increased among women. Emotional neglect differences in depressive symptoms decreased with age among men, while it increased first and then decreased among women.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings in this study suggest that childhood maltreatment is not only associated with later-life poorer mental health but contributes to increasing inequalities in mental health as people age, especially among peer-bullying victims and women.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), resilience, and outcomes in older adulthood: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Previous research has demonstrated a dose-response relationship between exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adverse outcomes in adulthood. Despite widely known associations, previous reviews have primarily focused on outcomes in younger and middle-aged adults exposed to ACEs to the exclusion of older adults and do not consider the potential role of resilience for understanding outcomes in older adulthood.

OBJECTIVE

The present scoping review aimed to examine the extent and nature of existing literature on the influence of ACEs and resilience on the cognitive, physical, mental, and social health outcomes among older adults.

METHODS

We conducted a search of five electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, AgeLine, Scopus) using the following keywords: adversity, resilience, aging, and older adults. We limited our inclusion criteria to works published in English or French after 1998 as Felitti et al. published the first study describing ACEs in this year.

RESULTS

Of the 4926 studies screened, 27 studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, results from the included studies indicated that exposure to adversity during childhood was associated with worse outcomes in older adulthood. Additionally, we found that resilience and resiliency-related factors (e.g., problem-focused coping strategies) mitigated or reduced harms associated with ACEs to improve outcomes in older adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to ACEs is associated with reduced functioning in later adulthood. Findings from this review indicate a need for further exploration into the role of ACEs, and the potential effects of resilience, on health outcomes in older adults to develop better individual- and population-level interventions for this group.

Atherogenic Index of Plasma as a Mediator in the association between Body Roundness Index and Depression: insights from NHANES 2005-2018

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown a correlation between depression and obesity, as well as between depression and the Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP). However, there is limited research on the association between visceral obesity and depression, as well as the potential mediating role of AIP in this relationship.

METHODS

This study included 13,123 participants from the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Visceral obesity was measured with the Body Roundness Index (BRI), while depression was evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The AIP served as a marker for lipid disorders. To investigate the association between the BRI and depression, multivariate logistic regressions, restricted cubic spline models, subgroup analyses, and interaction tests were used. Additionally, a mediation analysis was conducted to explore the role of AIP in mediating the effect of BRI on depression.

RESULTS

There was a positive linear correlation between the BRI and depression. After controlling for all covariates, individuals in the highest BRI (Q4) group had an OR of 1.42 for depression (95% CI: 1.12-1.82) in comparison with individuals in the lowest BRI (Q1) group. Moreover, the AIP partially mediated the association between the BRI and depression, accounting for approximately 8.64% (95% CI: 2.04-16.00%) of the total effect.

CONCLUSION

The BRI was positively associated with depression, with the AIP playing a mediating role. This study provides a novel perspective on the mechanism that connects visceral obesity to depression. Managing visceral fat and monitoring AIP levels may contribute to alleviating depression.

Retrospective ACEs predict complex PTSD symptoms in a large sample of Chinese young adults longitudinally: the moderating role of self-compassion

This longitudinal study in Mainland China (2021-2022) explored the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) symptoms, with a focus on the role of self-compassion. Among 18,933 surveyed university students, 21.2% reported experiencing at least one ACE. Results revealed a clear relationship between ACEs and CPTSD symptoms. Furthermore, self-compassion, particularly the dimensions of self-judgment and isolation, moderated the association between retrospective ACEs and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disturbance in self-organization (DSO) symptoms. These findings highlight the enduring impact of ACEs on CPTSD symptoms and emphasize the importance of early identification and targeted interventions, especially addressing self-judgment and isolation, to mitigate CPTSD risk among young Chinese adults.

The impact of adverse childhood experiences on depression in middle and late life: A national longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are one of the causes of depression in middle-aged and older adults, but the combined effects of ACEs, cognitive function and ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) on depression have not been fully explored.

METHODS

This study was based on data from 4 waves (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018) of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, including 10,995 middle-aged and older adults. ACEs were derived from the 2014 self-report life history module. A latent variable growth curve model was used to assess the mediating effect of cognitive function and ability to perform ADL in the relationship between ACEs and depression.

RESULTS

ACEs were significantly associated with lower initial cognitive status (β = -0.156, P < .001), worse ability to perform ADL (β = 0.051, P < .001) and higher severity of depression (β = 0.228, P < .001). The results of mediation analysis indicated that the association between ACEs and the intercept of depression was partly mediated by the initial level of cognitive function and ADL, and the association between ACEs and the slope of depression was total mediated by cognitive (intercept and slope) and ADL (intercept and slope).

CONCLUSIONS

ACEs were associated with higher severity of depression in part due to lower cognitive function and worse ability to perform ADL. Interventions that focus on reducing ACEs and improving cognitive level and ability to perform ADL may effectively reduce the incidence of depression among middle-aged and older individuals.

Association between number of Adverse Childhood Experiences and depression among older adults is moderated by race

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the association between number of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and history of depression among older adults and to explore the interaction by race.

METHODS

This study was a cross-sectional analysis of the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data among 60,122 older respondents (≥ 60 years old). The ACE score (zero, one, two-three, ≥four) included questions assessing exposure to eight types of ACEs before age 18. The outcome was the respondent's self-report depression diagnosed (yes/no). Multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between ACEs and depression stratified by race. Each model adjusted for age, smoking status, income, education, marital status, and body mass index.

RESULTS

In this sample of older adults, 47%, 23%, 19% and 10% reported having experienced zero, one, two-three, and four or more types of ACEs, respectively. Depression was reported by 16% of survey respondents. There was a significant interaction between ACE score and race and depression (p = 0.038). Respondents who experienced ≥4 ACEs had higher likelihood of reporting depression for all race/ethnicity groups: non-Hispanic Whites (aOR = 3.83; 95% CI: 3.07, 4.79), non-Hispanic Blacks (aOR = 3.39, 95% CI: 1.71, 6.71), or Hispanics (aOR = 12.61; 95% CI: 4.75, 33.43). This translated to a large effect size for non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics although the magnitude was bigger for Hispanics.

CONCLUSION

The association between number of ACEs and depression was strongest for older adults who identify as Hispanic, but weaker and less consistent for adults who identify as White and Black.

Association between adverse childhood experiences and self-reported health-risk behaviors among cancer survivors: A population-based study

AIMS

Existing evidence shows that people who report Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are more likely to exhibit health-risk behaviors. However, limited research on this topic pertains to oncology population. We aim to address this knowledge gap by estimating the prevalence of ACEs and investigating their association with self-reported health-risk behaviors among adult cancer survivors living in the U.S.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis using cross-sectional data from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System ACE module. We included 4,126 adults, aged ≥18 years, with a history of cancer. The outcome variable was self-reported health-risk behaviors, which included cigarette smoking, e-cigarette use, and binge alcohol drinking. Self-reported ACEs history was the primary independent variable, comprised of 11 questions regarding child abuse and dysfunctional households. We conducted descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to describe the relationship between the ACE history and health-risk behaviors.

RESULTS

Overall, 84.2% of cancer survivors self-reported as White, 58.4% were women, and 76.6% were aged 65+ years. Nearly two-thirds of the sample (63.2%) self-reported at least one ACE (prior to age 18) and 21.7% engaged in ≥1 health-risk-behaviors, such as cigarette smoking, binge alcohol drinking, or e-cigarette use. Experiencing ≥3 ACEs was associated with 145% increased odds of reporting at least one health-risk behavior (OR = 2.45, 95% CI [1.78-3.38]) when compared to those without a history of ACEs. Besides, survivors who were younger, divorced, less educated, and had low income had higher odds of reporting at least one health-risk behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, a history of ACEs is associated with health-risk behaviors. These all can negatively impact cancer survivors' overall well-being. Early screening for ACE during oncologic visits can be a protective measure for preventing health-risk behaviors among cancer survivors.

Adverse childhood experiences and trajectories of multimorbidity in individuals aged over 50: Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are important for chronic diseases yet their association with multimorbidity remains understudied. Few studies consider the complexity of multimorbidity or observe multimorbidity development over time.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated whether ACE were associated with multimorbidity at baseline and over a 12-year follow-up period.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

5326 participants aged over 50 were obtained from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

METHODS

An ACE summary score was derived using eight ACE items measuring abuse, social care, and household dysfunction. From repeated measurements of 29 chronic conditions over a 12-year period (2008-2019) we derived two multimorbidity measures: number of chronic diseases and number of chronic disease categories. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess associations between ACE and both measures. Mixed effects models were estimated to examine trajectories of multimorbidity by ACE over time.

RESULTS

Graded associations between ACE and multimorbidity were observed. Compared to those without ACE, participants with ≥3 ACE had three times the risk of having ≥3 chronic diseases (RRR 3.06, 95 % CI 1.85-5.05) and falling into ≥3 chronic disease categories (RRR 2·93 95 % CI 1·74-4·95). Graded associations persisted during 12-year follow-up, though differences in multimorbidity between those with ≥3 ACE and those without ACE remained constant (B 0.02, 95 % CI 0·01-0·03, and B -0·01, 95 % CI -0·02-0·00, number of chronic conditions and chronic condition categories respectively).

CONCLUSION

ACE are associated with multimorbidity risk and complexity, associations arising before the age of 50. Early intervention amongst those with ACE could attenuate this association.

Development and validation of a multimorbidity risk prediction nomogram among Chinese middle-aged and older adults: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to establish a self-simple-to-use nomogram to predict the risk of multimorbidity among middle-aged and older adults.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

We used data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, including 7735 samples.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Samples' demographic characteristics, modifiable lifestyles and depression were collected. Cox proportional hazard models and nomogram model were used to estimate the risk factors of multimorbidity.

RESULTS

A total of 3576 (46.2%) participants have multimorbidity. The result showed that age, female (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.89), chronic disease (HR 2.59, 95% CI 2.38 to 2.82), sleep time (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.85), regular physical activity (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.95), drinking (HR 1.27 95% CI 1.16 to 1.39), smoking (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.53), body mass index (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.05) and depression (HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.03) were associated with multimorbidity. The C-index of nomogram models for derivation and validation sets were 0.70 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.71, p=0.006) and 0.71 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.73, p=0.008), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We have crafted a user-friendly nomogram model for predicting multimorbidity risk among middle-aged and older adults. This model integrates readily available and routinely assessed risk factors, enabling the early identification of high-risk individuals and offering tailored preventive and intervention strategies.

The association between health-promoting-lifestyles, and socioeconomic, family relationships, social support, health-related quality of life among older adults in china: a cross sectional study

Objectives

Lifestyles, accounting for 53% in determining death, play a vital role in improving the health of older adults. Thus, this study aimed to explore the influencing factors of the health-promoting-lifestyles and interaction mechanisms among older adults.

Methods

A total of 8526 elders were selected by a three-stage stratified random cluster sampling method. Socioeconomic status, family relationships, social support, health-related quality of life (QOL), and health-promoting-lifestyles (HPLP) of older adults were assessed with the Social Support Rating Scale, the short form 36 health survey (SF-36) and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile. A structural equation model (SEM) was conducted to test the direct and indirect association between influencing factors with HPLP.

Results

In this study, there were 4901 older adults who were empty nesters, and 3625 were non-empty nesters. Of all respondents, the average QOL score of older adults was 62.28 ± 16.51, average social support score was 78.06 ± 7.50. The HPLP score of older adults was 105.9 ± 19.6, and the average score of subscales was 2.5 ± 0.5, which was at the medium level. Social support had a positive and direct effect on HPLP of older adults (total effect, 0.34). Meanwhile, social support mediated the relationship between socioeconomic (total effect, 0.17), QOL (total effect, 0.33) and HPLP. Family relationships had a small indirect effect on HPLP via social support (0.01).

Conclusions

Social support is the strongest influencing factor in the health-promoting-lifestyles among older adults, followed by socioeconomic, health-related quality of life and family support. Thus, maintaining higher social support was important to improve the HPLP of older adults.