{"id":29316,"date":"2025-07-24T09:36:46","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T13:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/positiveexperience.org\/?p=29316"},"modified":"2025-08-05T13:57:29","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T17:57:29","slug":"hope-research-links-216-billion-of-economic-value-to-positive-childhood-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/positiveexperience.org\/news\/hope-research-links-216-billion-of-economic-value-to-positive-childhood-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"HOPE research links $216 billion of economic value to positive childhood experiences in four states"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row remove_bottom_col_margin=”true”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]\n

Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) set up lifelong health. Based on these findings, it\u2019s likely that policies that promote PCEs will have an enormous economic impact. \u2013 Robert Sege, MD, PhD, Director of HOPE National Resource Center<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Positive childhood experiences reduce medical spending costs and provide additional healthy life years<\/h2>\n

BOSTON, MA, July 29, 2025 \u2013 The HOPE National Resource Center, in collaboration with partners at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Johns Hopkins University, Boston University, and Prevent Child Abuse America, published its latest study, \u201cPositive Childhood Experiences and Health and Opportunity Outcomes in Four U.S. States<\/a>,\u201d in the JAMA Network Open. Analyzing Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) data of over 20,000 adults from four states (Kansas, Montana, South Carolina, and Wisconsin), the research team found that positive childhood experiences (PCEs) were associated with an estimated $3.1 billion in lower medical spending costs and $212.8 billion in additional healthy life years (years not lost due to disability, ill health, or early death), for a total of $215.9 billion of economic value.<\/p>\n

\u201cPositive childhood experiences set up lifelong health,” said Robert Sege, MD, PhD<\/a>, Director of the Center for Community-Engaged Medicine at Tufts Medical Center and Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine. “Based on these findings, it\u2019s likely that policies that promote PCEs will have an enormous economic impact. These results may help seed ideas for improving support for children and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text]

<\/div>
\"Positive<\/div><\/figure>
<\/div>[vc_column_text css=””]\n

PCEs increase lifetime opportunities and reduce health risks<\/h2>\n

From 2015 to 2020, Kansas (2020), Montana (2019), South Carolina (2020), and Wisconsin (2015) each included 7 positive childhood experience questions in their annual Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Surveys, state-based telephone surveys that collect information on health-related behaviors and conditions. Over 20,000 respondents were collected across the four surveys. Their responses determined PCE scores ranging from 0-7 PCEs and were categorized into 4 groups: 0, 1-2 (low PCE score), 3-5 (medium PCE score), and 6-7 (high PCE score). 53% of adults reported high levels of PCEs, 35% reported medium levels of PCEs, 10% reported low levels of PCEs, and only 2.5% reported zero PCEs.<\/p>\n

The investigators analyzed the BRFSS data for PCE-related associations, including life opportunities (e.g., completing college), health risk behaviors (e.g., smoking cigarettes), chronic conditions (e.g., heart disease), and general physical and mental health.<\/p>\n

Adults with high levels (6-7) of PCEs reported a number of health benefits, including:<\/p>\n