April 2023

Anxiety, depression, and substance abuse are just three issues that children aged 11 through 18 are enduring as a result of adverse childhood experiences. In Calhoun County, Florida, the rate of children who skip school out of concern for their safety, felt hopeless, and experienced over 4 ACEs was drastically higher than all other counties in the state. To address these risk behaviors and predecessors to chronic health conditions or even dropping out of school, our program aims to utilize a...

Food insecurity is a significant stressor in family households and a driving force to devastating health consequences in many populations globally; it is associated with health outcomes including obesity, depression, adverse mental health outcomes as well as poor sleep outcomes (Royer et al., 2022; Nagata et al., 2019). A trauma-informed intervention to reduce food insecurity in Los Angeles County would involve a trauma-trained and multidisciplinary team that provides three important...

Childhood exposure to toxic stressors and traumatic events negatively impact the development of the child’s brain and increases the risk of poor coping skills and cognitive impairments (Daly, 2015). Adverse Childhood Experiences study found that exposure to one or more ACE’s highly affects children overall physical and mental well-being (CDC, 2021). Although 9 in 10 children receive regular medical care focused on physical concerns, only 1 in 3 pediatric professionals report having...

Inequalities woven into social structures have historically put minorities at disadvantage, impacting their health outcomes (Trent et al., 2019). Social determinants of health including racism have a deep negative effect on health and well-being, despite the progress made toward racial equalities (Trent et al., 2019). Black and Hispanic children have the highest risk for experiencing ACEs, as 61% of Black children and 52% of Hispanic children in the U.S. reported exposure to at least one ACE...

In 2008-09, the National Maternal and Child Health Survey surveyed women in Guatemala, and more than half of them reported experiencing some type of violence in the last 12 months. Guatemala has a long standing history of a patriarchal society that devalues women, even despite women’s rights advancements. The trauma these women endure each day take a toll on their health and their families, especially mental health. Our program aims to fill in these gaps by identifying women at risk,...

First responders play a crucial role in the care of individuals affected by natural and man-made disasters. Research has shown that trauma-related disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (22%) and depression (26%) (Fullerton, 2006), are well-documented in human first responders and behavioral health issues, such as suicidal thoughts and poor interpersonal relationships, can affect up to 51% of veterinary emergency responders following a disaster (Vroegindewey, 2021). In the...

In 2020, suicide was ranked among the top five most significant health problems in Alachua County, Florida (CDC, 2023). A significant association exists between exposure to adverse childhood experiences and one’s risk of suicide; individuals with an ACE score of four or more are 30 times more likely to attempt suicide than individuals with an ACE score of zero (CDC, 2022b). My proposed program utilizes a trauma-informed approach to increase awareness of mental health resources and build...

Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition affecting children and adolescents that has increased by more than eightfold over 40 years (Ling et al., 2022). It is a significant health problem globally, with a prevalence of 19.7% in the U.S, affecting around 14.7 million children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 yeas. old (CDC, 2022). Several studies have documented how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk of childhood obesity and associated behavioral and psychiatric...

My grant proposal focuses on the prevention of sexual assault at the University of Florida--specifically within the undergraduate female population. The program's activities place an emphasis on health education and are modeled according to the social ecological model developed by the CDC to effectively target the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels at UF. As such, the program intends to employ a trauma-informed approach in adapting each principle of the Six Key...

The prevalence and impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the mental health of college students is a growing concern. According to Butler and Kaplow (2019), college students with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are at a higher risk for developing mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The proposed grant aims to provide support and resources for college students affected by ACEs using a trauma-informed approach, which recognizes...

My grant proposal focuses on educating obstetricians and gynecologists about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma-informed care. Obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYN) lack clarity on identifying and addressing patients’ trauma symptoms and experiences (Nagle-Yang et al., 2022). Physicians using trauma-informed care during patient examinations can help promote mental health in patients and prevent re-traumatization in some (Hall et al., 2021). This program will host biweekly...

Instances of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as experiencing violence, and abuse are connected to mental health illness in adulthood (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). The Hispanic community is a heterogenous and growing population in the United States (U.S.). This group is estimated to be 30% of the U.S. population by 2060 (Colby & Ortman, 2015). Hispanics face social, legal, and economic adversities (Vega et al., 2009) which affect their overall health and...