Opinion: The influential adverse childhood experiences questionnaire should ask about gun violence
The adverse childhood experience (ACE) questionnaire has become a critical part of public health. It offers physicians a screening tool to evaluate patients, gaining valuable insights into their physical and mental well-being. This information guides the implementation of preventive measures like lifestyle counseling to reduce the risk of ACE-related chronic conditions like depression, obesity, asthma, diabetes, and cancer. The questionnaire also facilitates the adoption of trauma-informed care, enabling providers to sensitively address traumatic experiences, and more broadly is useful for research into the long-term effects of the ongoing gun violence epidemic.
However, the questionnaire is now outdated because it fails to ask about childhood exposure to gun violence. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of a patient’s past, it’s essential to include questions about experiences of gun violence during childhood.
