March 27, 2025 Story by: Editor
A recent study by Penn Nursing, published in the Journal of Urban Health, reveals that both Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and perceived neighborhood disorder have a significant impact on the mental health of Black men in Philadelphia after experiencing severe traumatic injuries. The findings highlight the critical influence of social and environmental factors on post-injury recovery.
“This research underscores the profound and lasting impact of social determinants of health on individual well-being,” said lead author Therese Richmond, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Andrea B. Laporte Professor of Nursing in the Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences. “Our findings demonstrate that addressing both childhood trauma and the realities of living in neighborhoods with high levels of perceived disorder is crucial for improving the mental health and overall recovery of Black men after injury.”
The study examined data from 414 Black men who suffered acute physical injuries that required hospitalization. Researchers analyzed the combined effects of ACEs and neighborhood conditions—such as perceived disorder and objective indicators of social and economic disadvantage—on post-injury outcomes, including PTSD, depression, sleep quality, and the ability to return to work.
“Perceiving neighborhood disorder and feelings of fear and insecurity emerged as a significant predictor of PTSD and depression after injury,” explained senior author Sara F. Jacoby, PhD, MPH, MSN, FAAN, the Calvin Bland Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor of Nursing in the Department of Family and Community Health. “This emphasizes the importance of considering an individual’s history of trauma along with the ways in which they experience their local environment and the social and economic factors that contribute to how they feel during the process of recovery.”
The study underscores the need for targeted interventions that address the complex relationship between ACEs and neighborhood environments to improve post-injury outcomes for Black men. It also highlights the importance of preventing ACEs, enhancing neighborhood conditions, and mitigating the challenges of recovery in areas where residents perceive high levels of disorder.
This research was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (R49 CE003083) and the National Institutes of Health (R01NR013503). Co-authors of the study include Ryan Quinn and Augustine Cassis Obeng Boateng (both from Penn Nursing), Anna Duan (Penn’s Weitzman School of Design), Christopher Morrison, PhD (Columbia University School of Public Health), and Nancy Kassam-Adams, PhD (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia).
Source: Penn Nursing
