Author: Scott Coleman
Two section chiefs in the Division of Public Health authored an article on adverse childhood experiences.
April 10, 2018 — The work of two section chiefs from NCDHHS’ Division of Public Health is featured in the current issue of the North Carolina Medical Journal, available online at ncmedicaljournal.com.
Women’s and Children’s Health Section Chief Kelly Kimple, MD, and Chronic Disease and Injury Section Chief Susan Kansagra, MD, researched and authored an article on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which are stressful or traumatic events, including abuse and neglect.
ACEs may also include household dysfunction such as witnessing domestic violence or growing up with family members who have substance use disorders. These experiences are strongly related to the development and prevalence of a wide range of health problems throughout a person’s lifespan, including those associated with substance misuse.
The NCMJ issue highlights the prevalence and magnitude of ACEs in North Carolina, the effects of ACEs on children and their impact into adulthood. The article by Kimple and Kansagra, entitled Responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences: It Takes a Village, focuses on how people and communities can come together to improve public health over the life course by addressing ACEs.
Catherine Joyner, Executive Director of the Division of Public Health’s Child Abuse Prevention Leadership Team is also profiled in the issue for her work in preventing and responding to child maltreatment. When she began her career as a family preservation social worker, she saw the effects of trauma and adverse childhood experiences on families. She discusses what she’s learned and her current work with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force on Child Maltreatment Prevention and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.