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- Written by: Jamie Hanson, University of Pittsburgh
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.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
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.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
“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.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
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.