Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Screening During Well Child Checkups: A Rural Medical Track Quality Improvement Project

Authors

  • Oula Eldow Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at Tulsa
  • Krista Schumacher Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Center for Rural Health

Abstract

Background 

The rate of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among Oklahoma children exceeds the national average. ACEs include having incarcerated parents and exposure to domestic violence and substance abuse, among other factors. ACEs have been linked to childhood obesity, juvenile diabetes, and other chronic conditions. This quality improvement (QI) project, conducted during a four-week clinical rotation, aimed to assess the feasibility of implementing ACEs screening during well-child checkups (WCCs) and the usefulness of short QI projects to student learning.

Methods 

During WCCs, the student (and first author) gave families a physical copy of the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life-events Screener (PEARLS) along with the clinic’s standard paperwork. Completed forms were tallied and saved to patients’ medical records.

Results  

Of 10 questionnaires distributed during the project, seven were completed.

Conclusions  

Offering the PEARLS questionnaire with other visit paperwork may be an effective way to gather information on ACEs. Conducting QI projects during brief clinical rotations can enhance students’ knowledge of running such projects and reinforce their abilities to make meaningful changes to clinical care.

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Published

2025-05-14

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2025): Articles

Section

Medical Education

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