Prevalence and early-life predictors of adverse childhood experiences: Longitudinal insights from a low-income country.

Background: A sizeable literature shows that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poor health outcomes in later life. However, most studies on the prevalence and predictors of ACEs have been carried out in high-income countries using cross-sectional approaches.

Objective: The present study explores the prevalence and predictors of ACEs in Malawi, a low-income country, using prospective longitudinal data collected on adolescents.

Cohort profile: the Adverse Childhood Experiences cohort of the Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health.

Purpose: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) cohort of the Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health (MLSFH-ACE) is a study of adolescents surveyed during 2017-2021. It provides an important opportunity to examine the longitudinal impact of ACEs on health and development across the early life course. The MLSFH-ACE cohort provides rich data on adolescents, their children and adult caregivers in a low-income, high-HIV-prevalence context in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).