Effect of family-related adverse childhood experiences on self-rated health in childhood and adulthood--childhood friendships as moderator

Are adverse childhood experiences associated with trajectories of healthy aging? Evidence from China

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have life-course impact and may be associated with healthy aging. This study aimed to explore the association between ACEs and healthy aging trajectories among middle- and older-aged adults in China. The data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study from 2011 to 2018. A total of 8906 respondents were enrolled in the analysis. Through latent growth mixture model, five categories of healthy aging trajectories which defined as 'stable type with high starting point', 'stable type at the middle level', 'stable type with low starting point', 'rapid descending type with high starting point', and 'stable descending type with medium starting point' were identified. Based on multinomial logistic regression, ACEs were significantly associated with healthy aging trajectories (stable type at the middle level/stable type with high starting point: relative risk reduction [RRR] = 1.19; P < 0.01; 95% CI = 1.16-1.23; stable type with low starting point/stable type with high starting point: RRR = 1.35; P < 0.01; 95%CI = 1.21-1.51; rapid descending type with high starting point/stable type with high starting point: RRR = 1.09; P < 0.1; 95% CI = 0.99-1.19; and stable descending type with medium starting point/stable type with high starting point: RRR = 1.30; P < 0.01; 95% CI = 1.23-1.38). When treating ACEs as a categorical variable, the healthy aging trajectory of the rapid descending type with a high starting point was not affected by any ACE groups. Further analysis of the relationship between each ACE and the trajectories of healthy aging reveals that parental disability, household mental illness, domestic violence, physical abuse, unsafe neighbourhood and bullying had significant impacts on almost every developmental trajectory of unhealthy aging. The government should promote the realisation of healthy aging from the perspective of the entire population and life cycle, intervene early in life, avoid the occurrence of ACEs as much as possible, and minimize the harm done by ACEs as much as possible.

Sexual Minority Stress, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Obesity Among Gay Men in Taiwan: Findings from a Panel Study

Purpose: Obesity is linked to personal behaviors and external stressors. Despite emerging evidence that sexual minority stress (SMS) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with the risk of obesity, little is known about their independent and interactive effects on sexual minority men. This study investigated these relationships using panel data. Methods: Self-identified gay and bisexual adult men in Taiwan were recruited through Facebook advertisements to complete an online questionnaire. This study reports only on data from the gay subsample (n = 731, mean age = 28.05 years, standard deviation = 5.75 years) as the bisexual subsample (n = 132) was insufficient for comparative statistical analysis. Over two time points, respondents reported their body weight and height, experiences with SMS, and ACEs on an online survey platform. Data analysis was conducted using multiple logistic regression to determine the individual and interactive effects of the ACE score, ACE components, and SMS on the odds for obesity. Results: Almost 16% of the respondents met the criterion for obesity (body-mass index ≥27). In the adjusted models, neither SMS nor ACEs had significant associations with the likelihood of obesity. Only the interaction term of SMS and childhood sexual abuse was significant, indicating that victims of sexual abuse have an increased likelihood of obesity that SMS may intensify. Conclusions: This study shows that gay men who experience childhood sexual abuse and SMS accumulatively faced an increased risk of obesity. Healthy weight promotion for these men should address these stressors.

Residents’ Living Environments, Self-Rated Health Status and Perceptions of Urban Green Space Benefits

Urban green space (UGS) could contribute to sustainable urban development. Studying residents’ perception of UGS ecological benefits could provide the empirical basis to improve UGS management and quality of life. Based on the questionnaire surveys of 432 residents in Beijing, assisted by non-parametric statistical tests, this paper assessed the relationships between residents’ living environments and self-rated health status and their impacts on residents’ perceptions of UGS ecological benefits. We paid attention to residents’ perceptions of UGS’s notable thermal environmental benefits under the climate-change backdrop. The results showed that: (1) Residents were inclined to perceive direct UGS ecological benefits better than the indirect types; (2) Residents growing up in the city had better self-rated health status than those growing up in the suburb and the village; and residents growing up in the suburb had a better understanding of the cooling benefits of green walls; (3) Residents currently dwelling in the city had a better understanding of UGS benefits, including shading, cooling by green roofs, mitigating the heat island effect and enhancing urban biodiversity, than those dwelling in the village; and (4) Residents with “very good” self-rated health status had a significantly better understanding of UGS benefits regarding shading, providing varied colors and habitats, storing carbon, purifying air, and collecting rainwater.