Current state of screening highâ ACE youth and emerging adults in primary care

Background and purposeTrauma comes in many forms, including interpersonal, community, and institutional trauma. The adverse childhood event (ACE) studies demonstrated that adverse experiences in childhood can have a profound, cumulative impact on the course of health and development over a lifetime. It is critical for healthcare providers, such as nurse practitioners (NPs), working in primary care to screen adolescents and emerging adults for a history of ACEs and trauma. A review of current assessment tools used in assessing this population in health settings is needed to determine how screening for ACEs is being performed.ConclusionsClinically efficient tools for screening and assessment of highâ ACE youth in primary care settings are lacking. Â Developing a process to assess ACEs, risk behaviors, and physical and mental health status that is efficient to use during a time limited clinical visit is an important step in providing holistic care to a challenging population.Implications for practicePrimary care NPs are in the perfect position to implement assessments of ACEs through traumaâ informed nursing care. ACE assessment in clinical practice will provide vital information to guide the development of tailored interventions for reducing risk behaviors and mitigate the longâ term impacts of ACEs.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141423/1/jaan12531_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141423/2/jaan12531.pd