Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation - Rapid Presentation Round
Abstract
Objective: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with physical and mental health conditions and linked to chronic health conditions among adults who have experienced trauma or toxic stress. ACEs are associated with severe health and social difficulties among children and adults, such as low productivity, mental health, substance abuse, chronic diseases, and short life expectancy. One in four children in the U.S. between the ages of 12 and 17 has at least experienced two or more ACEs. ACEs are more prevalent among underserved and ethnic minority groups. Immigrant children are affected more than non-immigrants; 42% of Hispanic children have higher ACEs than 36% of non-Hispanic white children. Providing early ACEs screening for children leads to early identification of ACEs and improvement of physical and mental health outcomes through early intervention. Screening for ACEs could help prevent 1.9 million cardiovascular-related cases and 21 million depression cases among patients This project implemented ACEs screening for children at a school-based community clinic with a large immigrant population and evaluate the impact of early screening, risk identification, interventions, and referrals to mental health providers.
Method: The Center for Youth Wellness Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (CYW ACE-Q) was used for patients between 0-19 years old. Parents or caregivers completed screening questionnaires for children aged 0 to 12 or 13 to 19 who could not complete the screening. Adolescents ages 13-19 completed the self-report ACE screening for teens. Healthcare providers verified completion and discussed ACEs score results with the patients, parents, or caregivers. Mental health services referrals were made for patients with positive ACEs scores. Pre- and post-implementation surveys assessed stakeholders' (health care providers, social work students, and clinic staff) knowledge of ACEs and the screening process.
Results: During the 16-week implementation, 87% of children at the clinic were screened for ACEs (N=138). Out of the 138 patients screened for ACEs, 20% (n=28) of the children had positive ACEs scores of 4 or more, which indicates that 20% of children with positive ACE scores had a score of 4 or more. Twenty of twenty-eight patients with positive ACEs scores were children of immigrants or from minority groups. Mental health referrals were made for all positive screenings.
Conclusion: ACE screening using the CYW ACE-Q tool was an effective and feasible way for a clinic to identify children with an increased risk for trauma, toxic stress, and physical and mental health and provide an early referral to mental health services and community resources. Early identification of intermediate-risk children and those with positive ACEs promotes early interventions, which can significantly reduce long-term physical and mental health illness among children.
Notes
References:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2022, April 6). Violence prevention: Adverse childhood experiences https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/prevention.html
Marsicek, S. M., Morrison, J. M., Manikonda, N., O’Halleran, M., Spoehr-Labutta, Z., & Brinn, M. (2019). Implementing Standardized Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences in a Pediatric Resident Continuity Clinic. Pediatric Quality & Safety, 4(2), e154–e154. https://doi.org/10.1097/pq9.0000000000000154
Mersky, J. P., Choi, C., Lee, C. P., & Janczewski, C. E. (2021). Disparities in adverse childhood experiences by race/ethnicity, gender, and economic status: Intersectional analysis of a nationally representative sample. Child Abuse & Neglect, 117, 105066
Sacks, V., & Murphey, D. (2018). The prevalence of adverse childhood experiences, nationally, by state, and by race or ethnicity. Child trends, 20, 2018. https://www.childtrends.org/publications/prevalence-adverse-childhood-experiences-nationally-state-race-ethnicity
Soleimanpour, S., Navarro, S., & Brindis, C. D. (2021). Addressing the unique needs of immigrant youth. https://www.acesaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Screening Adolescents-for-ACEs-Addressing-the-Unique-Needs-of-Immigrant-Youth.pdf
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Adverse Childhood Experiences, Medical Screening, Immigrant Families, Immigrants
Recommended Citation
Zimmerman, Felicia Vanessa, "Improving Immigrant Families Health: Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 7.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/posters_2024/7
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
None: Event Material, Invited Presentation
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-03-10
Improving Immigrant Families Health: Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences
Washington, DC, USA
Objective: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with physical and mental health conditions and linked to chronic health conditions among adults who have experienced trauma or toxic stress. ACEs are associated with severe health and social difficulties among children and adults, such as low productivity, mental health, substance abuse, chronic diseases, and short life expectancy. One in four children in the U.S. between the ages of 12 and 17 has at least experienced two or more ACEs. ACEs are more prevalent among underserved and ethnic minority groups. Immigrant children are affected more than non-immigrants; 42% of Hispanic children have higher ACEs than 36% of non-Hispanic white children. Providing early ACEs screening for children leads to early identification of ACEs and improvement of physical and mental health outcomes through early intervention. Screening for ACEs could help prevent 1.9 million cardiovascular-related cases and 21 million depression cases among patients This project implemented ACEs screening for children at a school-based community clinic with a large immigrant population and evaluate the impact of early screening, risk identification, interventions, and referrals to mental health providers.
Method: The Center for Youth Wellness Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (CYW ACE-Q) was used for patients between 0-19 years old. Parents or caregivers completed screening questionnaires for children aged 0 to 12 or 13 to 19 who could not complete the screening. Adolescents ages 13-19 completed the self-report ACE screening for teens. Healthcare providers verified completion and discussed ACEs score results with the patients, parents, or caregivers. Mental health services referrals were made for patients with positive ACEs scores. Pre- and post-implementation surveys assessed stakeholders' (health care providers, social work students, and clinic staff) knowledge of ACEs and the screening process.
Results: During the 16-week implementation, 87% of children at the clinic were screened for ACEs (N=138). Out of the 138 patients screened for ACEs, 20% (n=28) of the children had positive ACEs scores of 4 or more, which indicates that 20% of children with positive ACE scores had a score of 4 or more. Twenty of twenty-eight patients with positive ACEs scores were children of immigrants or from minority groups. Mental health referrals were made for all positive screenings.
Conclusion: ACE screening using the CYW ACE-Q tool was an effective and feasible way for a clinic to identify children with an increased risk for trauma, toxic stress, and physical and mental health and provide an early referral to mental health services and community resources. Early identification of intermediate-risk children and those with positive ACEs promotes early interventions, which can significantly reduce long-term physical and mental health illness among children.
Description
Adverse childhood experience ( ACEs) are associated with physical and mental health. One in four children in the U.S. between the ages of 12 and 17 has at least experienced two or more ACEs. ACEs are more prevalent among underserved, racial or ethnic minority groups.