This new R01 study proposal utilizes a rigorous and innovative series of statistical techniques to analyze data from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Heath), a multi-wave prospective and nationally-representative study of more than 20,000 subjects followed from childhood to adulthood, to address critical gaps cutting across the mental health, addiction, infectious disease, and criminal justice fields. Physical, sexual, and/or emotional trauma in childhood may cause psychopathology, HIV-related drug and sex risk, and criminal justice involvement. Research has identified associations between childhood trauma and psychopathology outcomes, HIV risk behaviors, and criminal justice system involvement. However, the complex interplay among these variables over the life course is not well defined. In addition, research on factors that promote resiliency in the face oftrauma is limited. Though social support buffers the effects of stressful life events, there is limited understanding of the degree to which children who have experienced trauma may be protected from adverse mental and physical health outcomes in adulthood if they receive support from parents, schools, and/or mentors during their adolescence and young adulthood. We propose to measure the degree to which physical, sexual, and emotional traumas during childhood are associated with hypothesized causal pathways leading to elevated levels of psychopathology, HIV risk behavior, and arrest and incarceration. We also seek to test the degree to which variations in social support protect against the deleterious effects of trauma on HIV risk behavior and criminal justice outcomes. The proposed analyses are designed to provide an empirical basis for development of novel trauma-informed interventions that will address the psychopathology, substance use, and sexual risk behaviors that drive both HIV and criminal justice involvement.

Public Health Relevance

In the US; there are over 7 million adults in the criminal justice system including over 2 million in jail or prison; and rates of mental illness and HIV risk are disproportionately high in this group. Well over half of these individuals have experienced emotional; physical; and/or sexual abuse in childhood; and these childhood traumas may drive their elevated rates of mental illness and risk of contracting HIV; as well as their involvement inthe criminal justice system itself. The proposed analyses will address critical public health priorities by providing data needed to plan interventions to address mental and physical health disparities and reduce involvement in the criminal justice system.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
7R01DA036414-02
Application #
8973980
Study Section
Behavioral and Social Science Approaches to Preventing HIV/AIDS Study Section (BSPH)
Program Officer
Deeds, Bethany
Project Start
2014-03-15
Project End
2017-01-31
Budget Start
2014-09-15
Budget End
2015-01-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
$159,718
Indirect Cost
$65,489
Name
New York University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
121911077
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10016
Khan, Maria R; Scheidell, Joy D; Rosen, David L et al. (2018) Early age at childhood parental incarceration and STI/HIV-related drug use and sex risk across the young adult lifecourse in the US: Heightened vulnerability of black and Hispanic youth. Drug Alcohol Depend 183:231-239
Scheidell, Joy D; Quinn, Kelly; McGorray, Susan P et al. (2018) Childhood traumatic experiences and the association with marijuana and cocaine use in adolescence through adulthood. Addiction 113:44-56
London, Stephanie; Quinn, Kelly; Scheidell, Joy D et al. (2017) Adverse Experiences in Childhood and Sexually Transmitted Infection Risk From Adolescence Into Adulthood. Sex Transm Dis 44:524-532
Scheidell, Joy D; Kumar, Pritika C; Campion, Taylor et al. (2017) Child Sexual Abuse and HIV-Related Substance Use and Sexual Risk Across the Life Course Among Males and Females. J Child Sex Abus 26:519-534
Quinn, Kelly; Boone, Lauren; Scheidell, Joy D et al. (2016) The relationships of childhood trauma and adulthood prescription pain reliever misuse and injection drug use. Drug Alcohol Depend 169:190-198