title: Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Health of University Students in Eight Provinces of Vietnam.
abstract: Recent systematic reviews have emphasized the need for more research into the health and social impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the Asia-Pacific region. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 2099 young adult students in 8 medical universities throughout Vietnam. An anonymous, self-report questionnaire included the World Health Organization ACE-International Questionnaire and standardized measures of mental and physical health. Three quarters (76%) of the students reported at least one exposure to ACEs; 21% had 4 or more ACEs. The most commonly reported adversities were emotional abuse, physical abuse, and witnessing a household member being treated violently (42.3%, 39.9%, and 34.6%, respectively). Co-occurrence of ACEs had dose-response relationships with poor mental health, suicidal ideation, and low physical health-related quality of life. This first multisite study of ACEs among Vietnamese university students provided evidence that childhood adversity is common and is significantly linked with impaired health and well-being into the early adult years.
authors.affiliation: Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam tqa74@yahoo.com.vn.
authors.forename: Quynh Anh
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Institute for Community Health Research, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dunne
authors.affiliation: Institute for Community Health Research, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Thang Van
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Vo
authors.affiliation: Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Ngoc Hoat
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Luu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000069586:Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: adverse childhood experiences; mental health; physical health; university students