Childhood neglect – even without other abuse – associated with stroke, COPD and more

Childhood neglect, even in the absence of other forms of child abuse such as sexual and physical abuse, is linked with a wide range of mental and physical health problems in adulthood, researchers from the University of Toronto have established. 

“While a large body of research has established the detrimental impact of childhood physical and sexual abuse on adult health outcomes, much less is known about whether neglect, in the absence of abuse, has similar negative outcomes,” first author and PhD student Linxiao Zhang said. 

“Our research underlines the importance of health professionals documenting whether their patients have a history of neglect in addition to other childhood adversities.”

The researchers found significant associations between childhood neglect and numerous health problems in adults when controlling for age, sex and race. 

Examples of poor physical health included stroke, asthma, and COPD. Disabilities such as hearing impairment, vision impairment, cognitive impairment, and mobility issues were also linked with childhood neglect, as was poor mental health, such as depression.

To reach their findings the researchers explored a large representative sample of over 40,000 American adults, captured by the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey.

Having established a link between childhood neglect and a range of mental and physical health problems, the authors were interested in identifying factors that may promote resilience among those who have experienced neglect. 

Further research indicated that the relationship between child neglect and adverse health outcomes in adulthood was largely attenuated when controlling for two key factors: adult socioeconomic status and the presence of a supportive adult in childhood.

“It appears that neglected children who manage to remain in school longer and have a reasonable income in adulthood are considerably less vulnerable to health problems in later life than neglected children who are less educated and less financially secure in their adult years.” fellow PhD student and co-author Andie MacNeil said.

Unfortunately, remaining in school longer may be a challenge for those experiencing neglect. Previous research has found childhood adversity to be associated with leaving school early and earning less in adulthood. In turn, poverty and lower levels of education are often associated with more mental and physical health conditions in adulthood.

Children who have a supportive adult in their lives are also more likely to overcome challenges associated with neglect.

“A protective adult is someone who made the child feel safe and protected in the home,” co-author Ishnaa Gulati explained. 

“Our findings suggest that this nurturing role may provide critical support to children, even when they are lacking basic necessities.”

The authors are hopeful that these findings can help support the well-being of survivors of childhood neglect.

“Although there are still significant health disparities between those with and without a history of neglect, our findings highlight potential ways forward to help promote better health outcomes among survivors of neglect,” senior author Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson said. 

“These findings emphasize the importance of mentoring interventions and other community-based supports that may promote feelings of safety and trust among neglected children, and to ensure neglected children have the resources and encouragement to remain in school as long as possible.”

Access the findings, which were published in Child Abuse & Neglect, here.