Impact of adverse childhood experiences on life expectancy with depression in the U.K. population: The mitigating role of educational attainment

Abstract

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with depression in later life. ObjectiveThis study aimed to measure the impact of ACEs on life expectancy with depression (DLE) and to assess how educational attainment affected expectations. Participants and settingThe study used data on 5597 participants from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (2006–2013). MethodsDepression was assessed through the eight-item short version of the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression. We used discrete-multistate life table models to estimate total life expectancy and life expectancy with depression. ResultsOlder adults with ACEs had longer DLE and a higher proportion of remaining life with depression compared with those without ACEs. For example, men aged 60 years with ACEs could expect to live 5.2 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 4.2, 6.2) years with depression compared with 2.8 (95 % CI: 2.3, 3.3) years for men without ACEs. Women aged 60 years who reported ACEs could expect to live 9.4 (95 % CI: 7.6, 11.1) years with depression compared with 6.0 (95 % CI: 5.1, 7.0) years for women without ACEs. With a high level of educational attainment, older adults from younger cohorts with ACEs lived fewer depression years and spent a higher proportion of their life being free of depression than adults with ACEs and had a low level of educational attainment. ConclusionOur results indicated that ACEs may increase years of life with depression among U.K. adults. Meanwhile, high educational attainment could mitigate the mental health burden associated with ACEs.