Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are events of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction that occur between birth and 17 years of age. Multiple studies have established the association between ACEs and risky behaviors and poor physical and mental health outcomes in childhood and beyond. Rural and minority children often have higher rates of ACE exposure than their peers. Yet previous results on ACEs and rurality have shown mixed results due to differences in: 1) geographic coverage of studied datasets, 2) measurement of ACEs, and 3) sampling methodologies. Furthermore, examinations of intra-rural differences in ACEs among racial/ethnic groups, particularly among American Indian/Alaska Native populations, have been limited. The findings from this study informed prevention and intervention efforts for rural children in the U.S.

This project's aims included 1) ascertaining whether ACE and positive childhood experiences (PCE) exposure differs between rural and urban children by type and by count; 2) quantifying racial/ethnic disparities in ACE and PCE exposure across rural communities; and 3) documenting the proportion of children with ACEs who lack PCE exposure among rural children.

Publications

• Examining the Association Between Rurality and Positive Childhood Experiences Among a National Sample
  Journal Article
  Rural and Minority Health Research Center
  Date: 08/2022
  Using the full National Survey of Children's Health with all 50 states and the District of Columbia, this study examined rural-urban differences in positive childhood experiences.
• Racial/Ethnic Differences in Adverse and Positive Childhood Experiences Across Rural Communities: Results From the National Survey of Children's Health
  Policy Brief
  Rural and Minority Health Research Center
  Date: 05/2022
  This study examined whether ACE and PCE exposure varied by race/ethnicity, among rural children, finding that there were higher rates of four or more ACEs among racial/ethnic minority children.
• Rural Children With 4+ Adverse Childhood Experiences Often Lack Positive Experiences
  Fact Sheet
  Rural and Minority Health Research Center
  Date: 07/2022
  This research explored the proportion of rural children with adverse childhood experiences who lack positive childhood experience exposure.
• Rural-Urban Differences in Adverse and Positive Childhood Experiences: Results From the National Survey of Children's Health
  Policy Brief
  Rural and Minority Health Research Center
  Date: 01/2022
  This brief examines the types and counts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and positive childhood experiences (PCEs) for rural and urban children. The study reports on the differences between rural and urban ACEs and PCEs across all fifty states and the District of Columbia.