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Bellis, MA 
ORCID: 0000-0001-6980-1963, Quigg, Z ORCID: 0000-0002-7212-5852, Butler, N ORCID: 0000-0002-4938-7870, Paniagua Coleman, RE, Jones, L ORCID: 0000-0001-5136-5614, Smith, E, Farrugia, AM ORCID: 0009-0005-2112-2263, Redlich, C, Grundy-Campbell, G and Passmore, J
(2026)
Adverse childhood experiences in the European Union, Iceland and Norway: characteristics, consequences and costs.
Project Report.
World Health Organization, Copenhagen.
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WHO-EURO-2026-13288-53062-82856-eng PUBLISHED VERSION 61026.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (6MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are globally recognized as key determinants of mental and physical health, and of social and economic outcomes across the life course. While there is no single agreed definition, ACEs are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (ages 0–17 years) and include some of the most severe experiences children may face, such as abuse, neglect, and household and community dysfunction. Exposure to ACEs – particularly cumulative exposure – is associated with immediate harms in childhood. However, ACEs are also linked to harms to health, productivity and community cohesion across the life course. As a result, ACEs can carry substantial societal costs not only to the health sector but also to the educational, criminal justice and other sectors.
ACEs are common: an estimated 319 million adults in the WHO European Region (around 40% of the population) have experienced at least one ACE. Preventing ACEs and early mitigation of the impact of ACE exposure is critical to improving population health and well-being, and to building resilient communities and economies. Since 2010, the WHO Regional Office for Europe has supported ACE surveys in several countries in the Region; however, there remains a lack of harmonized, comparable data on burden, health impacts, quality of life and resilience. While no single survey can comprehensively measure the full range of ACEs and their multiple impacts across Europe, the application of standardized methodologies across countries provides a powerful means of understanding how ACEs shape health, educational attainment, criminal justice involvement and prosperity. Consequently, under the contribution agreement with the European Commission “Addressing mental health challenges in the EU, Iceland and Norway”, the Regional Office worked with Liverpool John Moores University to launch the first harmonized multi-country ACE survey of young adults across the 27 European Union (EU) Member States, Iceland and Norway in November 2025.
This report:
* describes the characteristics of ACEs experienced among young adults (aged 18–30 years) across the
EU, Iceland and Norway;
* examines the relationships between ACEs, mental and physical health, and other social and behavioural
outcomes in young adults;
* quantifies impacts using a standardized measure – quality-adjusted life-years – and estimates financial
values associated with different levels of ACE exposure;
* provides evidence-informed policy recommendations for ACE prevention and response.
| Item Type: | Monograph (Project Report) |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | Publicly available at https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2026-13288-53062-82856 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Public Health Institute (PHI) |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ101 Child Health. Child health services R Medicine > RT Nursing |
| Divisions: | Nursing, Public and Allied Health |
| Publisher: | World Health Organization |
| Related URLs: | |
| Date of acceptance: | 6 October 2026 |
| Date of first compliant Open Access: | 7 October 2026 |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Oct 2026 09:15 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Oct 2026 09:15 |
| URI: | https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29617 |
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