As a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente's Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego, Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) members undergoing a comprehensive physical examination provided detailed information about their childhood experience of abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction. Over 17,000 members chose to participate. To date, over 50 scientific articles have been published and over 100 conference and workshop presentations have been made.
Future Directions:
The ACE study is now in its 10th year and the prospective phase is currently underway. In this ongoing stage of the study, data are being gathered from various sources including outpatient medical records, pharmacy utilization records, and hospital discharge records to track the subsequent health outcomes and health care use of ACE Study participants. In addition, an examination of National Death Index records will be conducted to establish the relationship between ACE and mortality among the ACE Study population.
The ACE Study findings suggest that these experiences are major risk factors for the leading causes of illness and death as well as poor quality of life in the United States. Progress in preventing and recovering from the nation's worst health and social problems is likely to benefit from the understanding that many of these problems arise as a consequence of adverse childhood experiences.

Sponsors: This resource is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kaiser Permanente's Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego. te's Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego.