Amy Lynn Meadows1,2, Justin C Strickland3, M Spencer Kerr4, Abner O Rayapati1, Craig R Rush1,3,5. 1. a Department of Psychiatry , University of Kentucky, College of Medicine , Lexington , Kentucky , USA. 2. b Department of Pediatrics , University of Kentucky, College of Medicine , Lexington , Kentucky , USA. 3. c Department of Psychology , University of Kentucky, College of Arts and Sciences , Lexington , Kentucky , USA. 4. d University of Kentucky, College of Medicine , Lexington , Kentucky , USA. 5. e Department of Behavioral Science , University of Kentucky, College of Medicine , Lexington , Kentucky , USA.
Abstract
Background: Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increases health risk behavior in adulthood and is a risk for premature mortality. For example, ACEs are associated with both tobacco smoking and obesity, which remain significant health challenges for many adults, despite widespread knowledge about the risks. Objective: The present investigation used a novel online crowdsourcing platform (Amazon.com mechanical turk) to study the relationship between ACEs and later tobacco smoking and obesity. Methods: Participants were recruited based on smoking (n = 74 smokers; n = 75 nonsmokers) and stratified based on obesity (n = 52 BMI ≥ 30; n = 97 BMI < 30). Participants had no recent history of other substance use, except alcohol. The relationship between ACE score and smoking and obesity categories was analyzed using logistic regression. Results: The average age of the sample was 38.6-years old and was mostly female (66.4%), employed (82.6%) and college educated (63.1%). Those with 4+ ACEs had a significantly greater odds of cigarette use. Any ACEs exposure was associated with a significantly greater odds of obesity. Conclusions/Importance: Findings are concordant with previous studies and suggest crowdsourcing is a viable platform for studying ACEs and health behavior. Access to large samples and specific populations provided by crowdsourcing could help examine theoretical models about how exposure to ACEs could be connected to later adoption of high-risk behaviors such as tobacco cigarette smoking and obesity.
Background: Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increases health risk behavior in adulthood and is a risk for premature mortality. For example, ACEs are associated with both tobacco smoking and obesity, which remain significant health challenges for many adults, despite widespread knowledge about the risks. Objective: The present investigation used a novel online crowdsourcing platform (Amazon.com mechanical turk) to study the relationship between ACEs and later tobacco smoking and obesity. Methods:Participants were recruited based on smoking (n = 74 smokers; n = 75 nonsmokers) and stratified based on obesity (n = 52 BMI ≥ 30; n = 97 BMI < 30). Participants had no recent history of other substance use, except alcohol. The relationship between ACE score and smoking and obesity categories was analyzed using logistic regression. Results: The average age of the sample was 38.6-years old and was mostly female (66.4%), employed (82.6%) and college educated (63.1%). Those with 4+ ACEs had a significantly greater odds of cigarette use. Any ACEs exposure was associated with a significantly greater odds of obesity. Conclusions/Importance: Findings are concordant with previous studies and suggest crowdsourcing is a viable platform for studying ACEs and health behavior. Access to large samples and specific populations provided by crowdsourcing could help examine theoretical models about how exposure to ACEs could be connected to later adoption of high-risk behaviors such as tobacco cigarette smoking and obesity.
Authors: Monique J Brown; Amandeep Kaur; Titilayo James; Carlos Avalos; Prince N O Addo; Elizabeth Crouch; Nikki L Hill Journal: J Appl Gerontol Date: 2021-12-13
Authors: Claus D Hansen; Mette J Kirkeby; Kristian G Kjelmann; Johan H Andersen; Rasmus J Møberg Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2021-11-08 Impact factor: 3.295