Adverse Childhood Experiences, Mental Health, and Access to Treatment
Differences Among Rural and Urban Youth
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21834981 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Luke Muentner (0000-0002-0969-581X, RTI International, corresponding author), Alycia Chmielewski (Medical School, University of Minnesota), Rebecca Freese (0000-0001-9477-4231, University of Minnesota), Carrie Henning‐smith (0000-0002-0273-0387, University of Minnesota), Rebecca J Shlafer (0000-0001-7833-9053, University of Minnesota), Rebecca Shlafer (University of Minnesota) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 135-145 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Social Work in Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1937-190X • E-ISSN: 1937-1918 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/19371918.2025.2573795 |
| PMID | 41074621 |
| OpenAlex | W4415075567 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 26 |
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poor adolescent mental health. Despite evidence that ACEs may be more prevalent in rural communities, it remains underexplored how region moderates the association between ACEs and mental health, as well as how access to treatment may vary across regions. Data for this study come from the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey, a state-wide survey of 125,375 adolescents. Results suggest that cumulative ACEs and certain mental health conditions (i.e. suicidality) were more common among town and rural youth compared to city and suburban youth. Even after adjusting for ACEs, town and rural youth who endorsed a mental health problem were less likely to receive treatment compared to urban peers. The findings have implications for social work and public health responses that reduce ACEs, particularly in rural communities, and expand treatment options for adolescent mental health in more remote settings
Adverse Childhood Experiences · Mental health · Mental illness · Occupational safety and health · Public health · Rural area · Suicide prevention · Child Abuse and Trauma · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Child Welfare and Adoption
Widening Rural-Urban Disparities in Youth Suicides, United States, 1996-2010
An Ultra-Brief Screening Scale for Anxiety and Depression
Impacts of adverse childhood experiences on health, mental health, and substance use in early adulthood
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), peer victimization, and substance use among adolescents
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Child Health in Early Adolescence
Exposing some important barriers to health care access in the rural USA
Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults
Task‐Sharing Approaches to Improve Mental Health Care in Rural and Other Low‐Resource Settings
Rural‐Urban Differences in Adverse Childhood Experiences Across a National Sample of Children
Current State of Child Health in Rural America
Family Perspectives on Pathways to Mental Health Care for Children and Youth in Rural Communities
Safe, Stable, and Nurtured
Adverse childhood experiences
Transportation Barriers to Health Care in the United States
The role of gender in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and delinquency and substance use in adolescence
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |