@article{ref1,
title="Depressive symptoms in disadvantaged women receiving prenatal care: the influence of adverse and positive childhood experiences",
journal="Ambulatory pediatrics",
year="2008",
author="Chung, Esther K. and Mathew, Leny and Elo, Irma T. and Coyne, James C. and Culhane, Jennifer F.",
volume="8",
number="2",
pages="109-116",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), positive influences in childhood (PICs), and depressive symptoms among low-income pregnant women. METHODS: Face-to-face survey of women receiving prenatal care at Philadelphia community health centers. We conducted surveys at the first prenatal care visit and at a mean age +/- standard deviation of 11 +/- 1 months postpartum, and obtained information on sociodemographic characteristics and childhood experiences before age 16. Group differences were tested with respect to a cutpoint of 23 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D), with the chi(2) test used for categorical variables and the Student's t test used for continuous variables. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to adjust for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 1476 mostly young, African American, low-income women. The majority (70% and 90%, respectively) of women reported at least one ACE and one PIC. For each ACE, affected women were more likely to have depressive symptoms than their counterparts. There was a dose-response effect in that a higher number of ACEs was associated with a higher likelihood of having depressive symptoms. PICs, on the other hand, were associated with a lower likelihood of having depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Among low-income women, ACEs were associated with a higher likelihood of having depressive symptoms in a dose-response fashion, and PICs were associated with a lower risk. Efforts to prevent ACEs and to promote PICs might help reduce the risk of depressive symptoms and their associated problems in adulthood.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1530-1567",
doi="10.1016/j.ambp.2007.12.003",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ambp.2007.12.003"
}