Taiwan study links childhood maltreatment to higher health risks in adulthood

台灣一項研究指出：童年受虐與成年後較高的健康風險有關

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Childhood maltreatment not only causes lasting psychological harm but may also increase the risk of chronic illnesses in adulthood, according to new findings from Taiwan’s National Health Research Institutes.

The research adds to growing evidence that early abuse and neglect have long-term effects on health. Although childhood maltreatment is widely recognized as a factor in later physical and mental health problems, broad assessments of these lifelong consequences have remained limited.

Lin Yen-feng (林彥鋒), an attending physician and associate research fellow at the foundation’s Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, said the team analyzed genetic information from large datasets to examine five forms of childhood trauma, CNA reported Monday. These include emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, physical neglect, and sexual abuse.

Researchers compared genetic patterns linked to each type of maltreatment with 16 major diseases that carry significant global health burdens. They found strong associations between childhood trauma and 10 conditions, including anxiety disorders, heart failure, intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic heart disease, lower back pain, major depressive disorder, migraine, neck pain, lung cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.

The study found that physical abuse appears to be a key factor in raising the risk of major depressive disorder. It also suggests that childhood trauma may increase the likelihood of age-related hearing loss, lower back pain, and migraines, and may be associated with shorter life spans.

Lin said earlier research has struggled to determine whether childhood trauma directly contributes to these conditions because social and environmental factors often overlap. By using genetic data to minimize those influences, the new study offers one of the most comprehensive evaluations to date of how early maltreatment may affect health throughout life.

He added that strengthening child protection systems is essential to preventing abuse. For children who have already experienced trauma, early intervention and support remain critical to reducing long-term health risks.