Exploring the link between adverse childhood experiences and mental and physical health conditions in pregnant Palestine refugee women in Jordan

Objectives: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to negative pregnancy outcomes. However, little is known about the prevalence of ACEs and their relationship to mental and health outcomes among pregnant Palestine refugee women. Study design: This was a cross-sectional study. Methods: Data were collected from 772 pregnant Palestine refugee women with a median (interquartile range) age of 27 (23, 32) years, attending five antenatal clinics in Jordan between February and June 2021. The modified 33-item ACE International Questionnaire was used to assess eight domains of ACEs: (1) marriage and family, (2) relationship with parents, (3) neglect, (4) household dysfunction/domestic violence, (5) abuse, (6) peer violence, (7) community violence, and (8) collective violence. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between ACEs and mental and health outcomes. The ethical approval was obtained from United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Research Review Board in May 2020. Results: Eighty-eight percent of women experienced at least one type of ACE, and 26% of women experienced & GE;4 types of ACEs. Compared with women with 0-3 types of ACE exposure, those with & GE;4 types of ACEs had 1.58 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-2.28) times higher prevalence of obesity before pregnancy, 3.28 (95% CI 1.79-6.03) times higher prevalence of depression during pregnancy, and 2.01 (95% CI 1.39-2.91) times higher prevalence of ever been smoking cigarettes or hookah. Conclusions: Exposure to ACEs is prevalent among pregnant Palestine refugee women. Exposure to multiple types of ACEs was associated with obesity, mental health conditions, and smoking. & COPY; 2023 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their association with mental and health outcomes among pregnant Palestine refugee women. The study found that 88% of women experienced at least one type of ACE, and 26% of women experienced four or more types of ACEs. Women with four or more types of ACEs had higher prevalence of obesity before pregnancy, depression during pregnancy, and ever smoking cigarettes or hookah.