Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Impact on Primary Headache Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Alexander Pabón Moreno¹Valentina Gonzalez Galindo²Alexandra Hurtado-Ortiz³Maricel Licht-Ardila³Edgar Fabian Manrique-Hernandez^1*Angelica Tatiana Pérez-Cárdena Tatiana Pérez-Cárdenas³Ximena Jaely Forero³Andreina Judith Portilla³Federico Arturo Silva Sieger³Elkin Llanez Anaya³

• ¹Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia, Floridablanca, Colombia
• ²Universidad de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
• ³Fundacion Cardiovascular de Colombia, Floridablanca, Colombia

Abstract Introduction: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including abuse and household dysfunction, can have lasting effects on development and health, increasing risks for chronic diseases and mental health issues. Objective: to estimate the prevalence of ACEs in this population and to determine the factors associated with these experiences. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a Colombian high-complexity institution, including adults with primary headaches according to ICHD-3 criteria. Statistical analysis involved bivariate comparisons and multivariate logistic regression, with goodness-of-fit assessed using the Hosmer and Lemeshow test. All analyses were performed using Stata 16. Results: 138 patients with primary headaches were included, 77.54% reported experiencing some form of ACEs, with 34.06% having scores of 4 or higher. Physical abuse was the most common ACE (9.13%). Women had a higher probability of reporting ACEs (OR: 8.613, 95% CI: 1.006-73.776, p = 0.049). Those with severe disability (MIDAS score) were less likely to report severe ACEs (OR: 0.293, 95% CI: 0.096-0.899, p = 0.032). Conclusion: This study demonstrates a strong relationship between adverse childhood experiences and primary headaches, highlighting the need to incorporate childhood trauma assessment into neurological practice.