Childhood trauma reflected in poor adult health

Even in sleep, people with history of abuse have higher heart rates, study shows
Clare Pain
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Seemingly healthy young adults in the community who have experienced childhood trauma are typically less well physically and psychologically than their peers, a study shows.

This includes elevated resting heart rates, sleep disturbance and psychological distress.

Researchers from UNSW Sydney examined 111 young people enrolled in the Sydney Infections Outcomes Study, who were free of apparent infection at the time of the trauma research.

Participants (mean age 22, 64% female) completed a battery of questionnaires about their mental and physical health, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form (CTQ-SF).