Adults who faced adversity during childhood were significantly more likely to die from or be hospitalized because of COVID-19. That’s the key finding of my team’s recent study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The study of 150,000 adults in the United Kingdom found those reporting the most childhood trauma had a 25% greater likelihood of death associated with COVID-19, as well as a 22% increase in hospitalization after contracting COVID-19. These figures held up even after accounting for demographics and health conditions.

Childhood trauma includes physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect, household dysfunction and what many call “toxic stress.”

Our study relied on the UK Biobank, a large biomedical database with more than 500,000 volunteers ages 40 to 69 throughout the United Kingdom. Close to one-third of those volunteers provided information about their childhood. Our team took that data and then searched medical records for participants who died or were hospitalized because of COVID-19. Though more research is needed, these initial results highlight the lasting impacts of childhood stress and the need to provide psychological support early on to mitigate lifelong health risks.

Why it matters

COVID-19 had killed nearly 7 million people worldwide as of November 2023. This underscores the importance of understanding all of the risk factors leading to pandemic-related hospitalization and death.

Prior research has examined the demographic risk factors for COVID-19, including age, race, ethnicity, income and education. But this is the first study to link childhood experiences to adult COVID-19 outcomes.

The striking findings of the study suggest that early childhood trauma should be added to the list of risk factors for illness – not only for COVID-19 but perhaps for other diseases as well.

The study also suggests that communities disproportionately affected by adversity and trauma may be particularly vulnerable to negative health outcomes. This includes communities where there are high levels of neighborhood violence, stress and poverty.

What other research is being done

Our research was prompted by a growing body of work that has found an association between adverse childhood experiences and health problems in adulthood. Adults experiencing significant childhood abuse have an increased risk for chronic conditions, including heart disease, lung disease, cancer and premature death.

Researchers are still trying to understand how childhood adversity contributes to negative health outcomes in adulthood. It could be primarily biological in nature. For instance, adversity has been linked to excess inflammation. Inflammation is normally a protective response from the body, triggered by harmful stimuli such as pathogens, damaged cells or toxins. However, excessive inflammation is related to strokes, heart attacks and other health conditions and can lead to more negative COVID-19 outcomes.

In contrast, the links between early adversity and poorer health could be behavioral in nature. Adversity is associated with having less money or education as an adult. These factors could, in turn, be associated with less access to and subpar medical care. Studies have shown that people with lower incomes and lower-paying jobs were exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace more often. Adversity is also associated with depression and challenges to emotion regulation. This in turn could result in downstream changes in biology and behavior.

What’s next

Our team plans to continue investigating large population studies – that is, at least 30,000 to 50,000 participants – to determine whether adverse childhood experiences relate to other health outcomes, like long COVID.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that learning more about how childhood trauma becomes embedded in the body could inform our understanding of possible interventions and long-term health outcomes, including those potentially connected to COVID-19.

The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

Jamie Hanson, Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

State Controller Malia M. Cohen has updated the Government Compensation in California website to include self-reported 2022 salary data for K-12 education employers in the state.

The data cover 467,891 positions and nearly $23.31 billion in wages at employers including public school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education.

While cities, counties, and special districts are required to report salary and benefits data to the State Controller, K-12 education employers are voluntary reporters for the purposes of GCC.

The State Controller’s Office requested data from 1,899 education employers, 424 of whom filed compliant reports.

Another 1,310 K-12 education employers did not file salary data reports, while 165 filed reports that were incomplete or did not comply with reporting guidelines.

In Lake County, the following districts responded:

Kelseyville Unified: 334 employees; total wages, $15,189,689; total retirement and health contribution, $5,897,483.

Lake County Office of Education: 223 employees; total wages, $8,157,199; total retirement and health contribution, $3,116,184.

Lakeport Unified: 300 employees; total wages, $10,807,997; total retirement and health contribution, $4,028,647.

Upper Lake Unified: 173 employees; total wages, $7,439,431; total retirement and health contribution, $2,832,128.

Districts that did not file were Konocti Unified, Lucerne Elementary School District and Middletown Unified.

The top 10 paid educators in Lake County, based on the available reporting, are as follows:

1. Upper Lake Unified superintendent: total wages, $347,151; total retirement and health contribution, $62,478.
2. Kelseyville Unified superintendent: Total wages, $229,775; total retirement and health contribution, $50,919.
3. Lake County superintendent of schools: Total wages, $198,790; total retirement and health contribution, $51,240.
4. Lakeport Unified director of maintenance, operations and transportation: Total wages, $179,935; total retirement and health contribution, $35,264.
5. Upper Lake Unified assistant superintendent: Total wages, $172,776; total retirement and health contribution, $48,147.
6. Upper Lake Unified assistant superintendent: Total wages, $162,666; total retirement and health contribution, $46,999.
7. Upper Lake Unified chief building official: Total wages, $152,249; total retirement and health contribution, $54,206.
8. Lake County Office of Education, senior director of school and district support: Total wages, $152,388; total retirement and health contribution, $36,255.
9. Upper Lake Unified, principal: Total wages, $149,361; total retirement and health contribution, $44,452.
10. Upper Lake Unified, principal: Total wages, $147,997; total retirement and health contribution, $42,713.

As the chief fiscal officer of California, Controller Cohen is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources.

The controller has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds.

Cohen is a member of numerous financing authorities, and fiscal and financial oversight entities including the Franchise Tax Board. She also serves on the boards for the nation’s two largest public pension funds.

Follow the Controller on X at @CAController and on Facebook at California State Controller’s Office.

With an increase of xylazine in the nation’s illegal drug supply, the California Department of Public Health is continuing to reach out to Californians to educate the public about xylazine and its potential harms to health.

“Xylazine is a powerful sedative commonly known as ‘tranq’ or ‘tranq dope’ and has been linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths nationwide,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer, Dr. Tomás Aragón. “While current data suggests that xylazine is relatively uncommon in California’s drug supply at this time, we are taking steps to reach our local partners, community-based organizations, healthcare providers, and all Californians to warn them of this evolving situation."

On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom also announced new legislation to prevent the illicit use and trafficking of xylazine.

Xylazine is a new and emerging issue in California. However, the drug supply is unpredictable, and state officials are concerned that xylazine may eventually become more common in California, increasing instances of fatal overdose, potentially dangerous periods of unconsciousness, and serious skin infections.

To educate Californians on xylazine and the dangers it presents, CDPH has developed several resources — including flyers and fact sheets — to share with local agencies, community-based organizations, and partners. These resources are available on CDPH’s dedicated xylazine page.

In addition, CDPH has issued guidance to healthcare facilities and providers (All Facilities Letter 23-35) on how to support patients who may have been exposed. These practices include informing clinicians on when to suspect xylazine exposure, how to manage symptoms of withdrawal in patients, how to treat xylazine-associated wounds, and how to properly provide follow-up care.

CDPH has already issued several alerts to local partners, including a March letter to local health officers, an issue brief and a June health alert.

Xylazine is a powerful sedative intended for animals as a pain reliever. It is not safe for humans and can cause drowsiness, amnesia, serious skin wounds and can also slow breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure to dangerously low levels.

Xylazine is almost exclusively combined with fentanyl, an opioid, often without the knowledge of those who use these drugs. Taking fentanyl or xylazine in combination with other central nervous system depressants, like alcohol or benzodiazepines such as Valium or Xanax, increases the risk of life-threatening overdose. If a xylazine overdose is suspected, experts recommend giving the opioid reversal agent naloxone, providing rescue breathing if needed, and calling 911.

For additional information, visit CDPH’s xylazine website.

This week a Southern California judge issued a ruling upholding Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s order that the FAIR Plan offer homeowners a more comprehensive homeowners’ insurance policy option.

The ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin, issued on Nov. 27, is consistent with a 2021 ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Strobel upholding the commissioner’s authority.

Following that ruling, Commissioner Lara issued an Amended Order 2021-2 to the FAIR Plan.

Judge Kin denied the FAIR Plan’s request to vacate his amended order, upholding the commissioner’s ability to order additional coverages including accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam; premises liability; incidental workers’ compensation; theft; falling objects; weight of ice, snow, or sleet; freezing; and loss of use, including coverage for additional living expenses and fair rental value.

These are typically included in a standard comprehensive homeowners policy, but not offered under the FAIR Plan’s limited fire policy.

FAIR Plan policyholders who want additional coverage must purchase a separate difference in conditions, or DIC, policy offered by a private insurance company.

Judge Kin wrote that “the prohibitive cost of DIC policies and confusion about what DIC policies cover supports the Commissioner’s desire to have an expanded policy as an option for homeowners, in furtherance of the goal of assuring stability in the property insurance market.”

“This ruling is a win for homeowners and an essential part of our ongoing strategy during this unprecedented time in our state. It upholds my authority to implement measures that enhance the availability and affordability of insurance coverages for consumers. While we continue to pursue long-term insurance solutions to safeguard Californians from climate change, it’s essential that homeowners have a strong short-term option in the California FAIR Plan,” said Lara.

“Requiring Californians to purchase separate insurance policies only results in higher costs and greater confusion, leaving them on the hook for uninsured damage from a winter storm or burst pipe. Many FAIR Plan policyholders are seniors or families who cannot afford to pay these unexpected costs out-of-pocket. The sooner that the FAIR Plan can offer a more comprehensive policy option, the better for many Californians. This ruling is a step forward in achieving a balanced and robust insurance market that meets the needs of Californians. I will continue to put the needs of California’s insurance consumers first through a sustainable insurance marketplace that serves all consumers,” Lara added.

The FAIR Plan is California’s “insurer of last resort,” offering a bare-bones residential policy that covers fire and smoke damage but forces homeowners to purchase an additional policy at an increased cost to have coverage for liability, water damage and other common perils.

Many FAIR Plan policyholders do not, and cannot, purchase a difference in conditions policy, increasing the coverage gap for vulnerable communities.

Modernizing the FAIR Plan to meet Californians’ coverage needs is a key goal of Commissioner Lara’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy, which he announced in September.

The FAIR Plan has approximately 330,000 residential policies in the state as of September 2023, according to its data.

According to Department of Insurance data, approximately 40% of FAIR Plan policyholders insuring an owner-occupied dwelling do not have a DIC policy, leaving them uninsured for winter storm damage and other common losses.

In 2022, the FAIR Plan insured approximately 270,000 residential policies. About 200,000 of these policies insured an owner-occupied dwelling, constituting roughly 3.1% of the state’s homeowners’ market.

As of September 2023, FAIR Plan has shown growth exceeding 20% over last year.

 

Drug overdose deaths in the United States continue to rise.

Overdoses claimed more than 112,000 American lives from May 2022 to May 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 37% increase compared with the 12-month period ending in May 2020.

The vast majority of those who died were adults. But drug overdoses are killing young Americans in unprecedented numbers: The monthly total rose from 31 in July 2019 to 87 in May 2021, the period with the most recent data.

As a scholar of substance use who focuses on patterns that vary between age groups, I’m struck by how adolescents’ overdose deaths differ from adults’ in terms of gender, race and ethnicity and the drugs causing these fatalities.

These differences mean that the groups considered to be at high risk and the strategies needed to prevent overdoses in adolescents should not be the same as for adults.

Who is dying?

When the CDC examined data for Americans 10 to 19 years old, it found that, as is the case for adults, most adolescents dying from drug overdoes are male. However, the share of girls among these fatalities is larger than the share of women.

More than twice as many boys who are tweens or teens are dying of a drug overdose for every girl in that age group.

Among adults, three men die of a drug overdose for every two women.

The share of fatal overdoses of white, non-Hispanic adolescents is vastly greater than for their nonwhite peers – more so than for adults.

Fentanyl’s often to blame

Another difference is what’s causing these fatal overdoses.

Among adults, those who use more than one drug are more likely to die from an overdose than those who use a single drug. The most common combinations are fentanyl with another opioid, like a prescription medication, and fentanyl with a stimulant, like cocaine or methamphetamine.

Fentanyl on its own is the key culprit in adolescent overdoses. For teens, 84% of fatal overdoses involved fentanyl, and 56% of all overdoses involved only fentanyl.

This is consistent with my team’s research indicating that rates of prescription opioid misuse fell from 2015 to 2019 in both adolescents and young adults. It also squares with other data that shows deaths from heroin-involved overdoses have declined in recent years.

Fentanyl is among the most potent opioids available. It’s estimated to be roughly 100 times more potent than morphine – a very strong opioid typically used in hospital settings. Teens and tweens usually have little tolerance to opioids because they often have not been exposed to them before, and fentanyl’s high potency makes them more likely to overdose.

Many adolescents accidentally take fentanyl when they ingest counterfeit pills that they believe are prescription opioids or stimulants, or other illicit drugs that are laced with the drug.

This unintentional use can make an overdose even more likely, because people who are unaware they are taking fentanyl are less likely to have the overdose-reversal medication naloxone or fentanyl test strips on hand.

In 67% of adolescent overdose deaths, a bystander was present who could have intervened. Naloxone was administered in less than half of cases where a bystander was present.

Little to no prior drug history

Only 1 in 10 teens and tweens who died from a drug overdose had a history of treatment for a substance use problem, and only 1 in 7 had ever experienced a prior nonfatal overdose. Adolescents who fatally overdose do not necessarily show the warning signs generally expected beforehand, such as problems with alcohol or other drugs or prior substance use treatment.

This pattern underscores the importance that all parents proactively talk with their children about substance use by the time they are 12 years old.

Parents who express their disapproval of substance use tend to prevent or delay it in their kids. Having children who never use substances may be an unnecessary and unrealistic goal – after all, most adults drink alcohol at least occasionally.

However, parents can emphasize that their child’s brain is changing rapidly and significantly and that not using drugs or alcohol while young helps promote healthy development.

What parents can do

Having naloxone available can also be important. It prevents fentanyl and other opioids from causing an overdose by blocking access to opioid receptors in the brain. This potentially lifesaving drug is easy to use, but the cost of the over-the-counter version, which can exceed $50 for two doses, makes it out of reach for some of the people who need it most.

Think of naloxone like car insurance: You don’t want to use it, but it’s important to have in case something goes wrong.

Even if your child never tries an illicit drug, they may be able to intervene and save a friend who overdoses. Everyone should know the signs of an opioid overdose – they include shallow or no breathing, problems staying conscious, and cold, clammy skin – and be ready to intervene when they see someone of any age who appears to be experiencing one.

Finally, more than 4 in 10 adolescents who died from an overdose had a history of mental health conditions. That’s consistent with research from my colleagues and me linking poorer mental health and opioid misuse in adolescents.

There’s also a strong link between mental health conditions and drug overdoses among adults.

For this reason and many others, such as the rising rates of adolescent depression, I recommend that all adults – whether caregivers or other people in an adolescent’s life – check in on their mental health regularly and recommend or seek treatment for any concerns as early as possible.

Ty Schepis, Professor of Psychology, Texas State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The Yuba Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting this week during which it will hold a discussion about Woodland Community College’s Lake County Campus.

The special board meeting and board retreat will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, at Yuba College, 2088 N. Beale Road, Building 300-Flavors, Marysville.

Members of the public may attend the meeting virtually.

The meeting Zoom link is https://yccd-edu.zoom.us/j/81873478535. The call-in number is 1 669 900 6833; the Zoom meeting ID is 818 7347 8535.

After the lunch break, the board will have a follow-up discussion on Woodland Community College and its Lake County Campus, which was the focus of a great deal of public comment at the board’s Nov. 9 meeting in Clearlake.

Community members — including former and current students and educators — told the board that they believe Woodland College’s leadership has been purposefully starving the Lake County Campus of the resources needed to survive.

Also on Thursday, the board will conduct its 2022-23 self evaluation before holding a performance evaluation of Chancellor Dr. Shouan Pan.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.