Phaedra S. Corso ^1*, Valerie J. Edwards ², Xiangming Fang ², James A. Mercy ²

¹ University of Georgia
² CDC

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: pcorso{at}uga.edu.

	Abstract

Objectives. We sought to assess the difference in a preference-based measure of health among adults reporting maltreatment as a child versus those reporting no maltreatment.

Methods. Using data from a study of adults who reported adverse childhood experiences and current health status, we matched adults who reported childhood maltreatment (n = 2812) to those who reported no childhood maltreatment (n=3356). Propensity score methods were used to compare the 2 groups. Health-related quality-of-life data (or "utilities") were imputed from the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey using the Short Form–6D preference-based scoring algorithm.

Results. The combined strata-level effects of maltreatment on Short Form–6D utility was a reduction of 0.028 per year (95% confidence interval=0.022, 0.034; P<.001). All utility losses for the childhood-maltreatment versus no-childhood-maltreatment groups by age group were significantly different: 18–39 years, 0.042; 40–49 years, 0.038; 50–59 years, 0.023; 60–69 years, 0.016; 70 or more years, 0.025.

Conclusions. Persons who experienced childhood maltreatment had significant and sustained losses in health-related quality of life in adulthood relative to persons who did not experience maltreatment. These data are useful for asessing the cost-effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent child maltreatment in terms of cost per quality-adjusted life years saved.

Key Words: Adolescent Health, Injury/Emergency Care/Violence