A comprehensive umbrella review published in Neuropsychobiology analyzed 43 meta-analyses involving over 14 million participants across seven countries, including Ethiopia, the UK, the US, Brazil, Australia, Ireland, and Canada. The study found that individuals exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as Abuse, neglect, domestic Violence, and parental mental illness, face a 66 percent higher risk of developing mental health disorders later in life.
The authors, led by Biruk Beletew Abate of Woldia University in Ethiopia, noted particularly elevated risks in Ethiopia and a lower association in Canada, suggesting that national intervention strategies and resources significantly influence outcomes.
“Subgroup analysis of the pooled effect size of ACE as a risk factor for mental health problems is almost consistent across different countries,” the authors write. “However, a study done in Ethiopia revealed that the pooled effect of ACE as a risk factor for mental health problems later in life was significantly higher than in other countries. Contrary to this result, a study done in Canada revealed that the pooled effect of ACE as a risk factor for mental health problems later in life was significantly lower than in other countries.”
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Again, do we really need a scientific study to elucidate the obvious?
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More studies like the study summarized by the article are needed for numerous reasons. Science depends upon evidence-based studies, including to substantiate what might otherwise seem obvious and/or commonsense. Otherwise, the obvious and/or what might be considered commonsense tend to be overlooked and neglected. And, sometimes what seems to be obvious and/or commonsense actually becomes rejected by scientific research findings that show otherwise. The more robust the evidence-basis, the better. Research continually needs to be triangulated with different methods and/or different populations across different time periods and conducted by different researchers. Also, as data becomes old, questions tend to arise about whether same research findings apply to more recent circumstances. And, research methods and techniques tend to continually evolve and raise the questions about whether the previous findings would still apply and/or whether more triangulation of methods and data may be needed.
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I was trying to be amusing. But unfortunately, the obvious DOES have to be proven by studies and yet is still ignored by the system despite the results. That’s the real problem. I’m glad this kind of research is being done, but it is sad that this is a novel concept that is often considered threatening by the supporters of the status quo.
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