Relative and combined contributions of adverse childhood experiences and self-reported child poverty to health and economic outcomes in adults – a retrospective study in a UK region

Our findings support ACEs being widespread across all socio-economic backgrounds but being more frequent in poorer childhoods. Both ACEs and CP appear independently associated with poorer life course health outcomes with exposure to ACEs adding to the risks from CP. Exposure to ACEs and CP are also associated with poorer economic outcomes in adulthood. Therefore, these childhood experiences in one generation may also increase the risk of CP and ACEs in the children they raise. Targeted interventions and policies are already available that can mitigate the impacts of ACEs and CP, improving health, economic stability and productivity and thus, reducing public service costs and increasing prosperity.