A window of opportunity: Adverse childhood experiences and time alone with a provider in the United States

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BackgroundTo date, there is limited literature on the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the quality of health care provider encounters. This is key, as people with a history of ACEs have a greater burden of illness. MethodsThis study uses data from the 2020–2021 National Survey of Children's Health to examine relationships between ACEs and (1) spending less than ten minutes with a health care provider, and (2) spending time alone with a health care provider. ResultsIn general, our results suggested most ACEs were associated with higher odds of a provider spending <10 min with a child during their last preventative care visit, while ACEs were inconsistently related to spending time alone with a provider. Each additional ACE was found to be associated with higher odds of both outcomes. ConclusionsThis work emphasizes the importance of ACEs screening in a health care setting and may set the groundwork for future research investigating mechanisms within these associations. Given the established link between health care quality and patient-provider trust, and health outcomes, intervention work is needed to develop healthcare practices that may encourage the length and quality of health care provider visits.