Addressing childhood trauma in Shelby County

HARLAN -- A recent Iowa study linking childhood trauma to poor physical and mental health in adults has led to a new initiative in Shelby County.
    Myrtue Medical Center is sponsoring a Community Educational on Tuesday, April 18 from 6-8 p.m. at C.G. Therkildsen Activity Ctr. The objective of the educational is to understand how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) impact the health of our community.
    It is also an opportunity to investigate opportunities to reduce ACEs exposure and promote resilience in our community.   
    The study, released in October 2013, reveals that 55 percent of Iowa adults experienced at least one type of adverse childhood experience (ACE) and 14 percent had four or more ACEs.  As a matter of fact, trauma impacts the health and quality of life in 40 percent of Shelby County residents.
    As the number of these experiences increases, so does the risk of substance abuse and health issues including diabetes, heart disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, kidney disease and social/emotional dysfunction due to poor mental health in adulthood.