Adverse childhood experiences. Knowledge and use by pediatrics residents

Introduction: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with the acquisition of risk behaviors and development of chronic and mental diseases since adolescence and in adult life. Objective: To identify the knowledge and the frequency pediatrics residents ask about ACEs with. Methods: Through an online survey sent to all resident physicians of the 2017-2018 academic year of a tertiary care children’s hospital, demographic variables, knowledge, use, training and barriers to interrogate and search for ACEs were collected. Results: 21% of residents answered the survey; the majority were women (70 %), less than 5 % of participants were familiar with ACEs, 31 % enquired about them in parents and their children, and 71 % considered having some barrier to interrogate about them. Conclusions: Participants in this study showed limited knowledge about ACEs, which had an impact on the frequency they enquired about them with in their patients and their parents; at least half had the perception that it is beyond the reach of the pediatrician to identify them