Child maltreatment and premature mortality in the United States: Heterogeneity by gender and maltreatment subtypes.
Child maltreatment linked to higher premature mortality risk in males, not females
Child maltreatment and premature mortality in the United States: Heterogeneity by gender and maltreatment subtypes.
This study investigated the relationship between child maltreatment and premature mortality in early to mid-adulthood.
Child maltreatment was assessed using a combination of self-reports from Wave I (grades 7-12) and retrospective reports of pre-sixth grade experiences from Wave III (ages 18-26).
maltreated males had higher risk of dying prematurely than non-maltreated males
Potential heterogeneities by gender and maltreatment subtypes were also examined.
Vital status was ascertained using the Mortality Outcomes Surveillance System, which links Add Health study participants to the National Death Index with follow-up through December 2023, as the cohort reached their 40s.
Exposure to multiple forms of maltreatment is significantly associated with higher risks of all-cause mortality, even after adjusting for individual- and family-level characteristics (HR = 1.397, 95% CI = 1.134-1.722).
Among males, experiencing emotional and physical neglect emerged as the most pronounced risk factors for all-cause mortality compared to other subtypes.
The findings underscore the need for a life-course continuum of supportive interventions for maltreatment victims, particularly males, designed to remain responsive to the contexts of individual cases.