School of Humanities holds colloquium on child trauma and adult chronic illnesses
By Michelle Karume and Carol Yogo.
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) held a colloquium on “The correlation between early childhood trauma and adult chronic and mental health diseases among Kenyans; A quantitative study” presented by Dr. Michelle Karume (Assistant Professor, Psychology) on Wednesday, February 12.
The study found out that there is a correlation between childhood trauma and adult chronic illness and that those with childhood trauma and no intervention have a higher possibility of developing a non-communicable disease in adulthood.
The study further suggested that prevention of childhood trauma and awareness of such findings to stakeholders such as Ministry of Health, Behavioural Specialists-Marriage and Family Therapists, Clinical Psychologists, Paediatricians and Medical practitioners can help reduce the effects of childhood trauma in adults.