Examining the Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and COVID-19 Vaccine Status using 2022 BRFSS Data: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract: Objective.To determine the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) scores with COVID-19 vaccination outcomes before and after adjusting for demographic variables. Methods. Data were from 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys regarding 13 categories of ACEs, COVID-19 vaccination, and demographic variables. Data was weight adjusted for survey respondent data. This complex design combined the core and optional modules. Participants who received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine were categorized as vaccinated. The sample size is 12,514. Results. Participants who were female (OR=1.35, 95% CI: [1.19,1.52]), greater than or equal to 65 years old (OR=4.76, 95% CI: [3.82,5.93]), and graduated college (OR=4.18, 95% CI: [3.26,5.34]) had higher odds of receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. After adjustment, ACEs scores were found not to be significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccination status (AOR= 0.99, 95% CI: [0.86,1.13]). Conclusion. The association between COVID-19 vaccine uptake and ACEs scores may be accounted for by factors other than socioeconomic factors. Differences in COVID-19 vaccine uptake between females and males could be influenced by proactive lifestyle health behaviors