Understanding and Combating Chronic Disease Burden: The Role of Trauma

Post Date: September 10, 2025

Expiration Date: September 10, 2026

Background

History of trauma exposure contributes to excess chronic disease morbidity and mortality for millions of Americans, not limited to mental health outcomes. In the past 20 years, the public, as well as health and other service providers (including behavioral, mental health, pediatricians, cardiac and other specialty practitioners, and providers of care), have become increasingly aware of and concerned with adverse health outcomes associated with a broad range of potentially traumatic experiences. Although not all who are exposed to potentially traumatic events will experience enduring or impairing mental health symptoms, a significant minority will. Moreover, our understanding of how trauma exposure confers long term risk for a broad range of adverse chronic physical and mental health outcomes is incomplete. Reductive psychiatric diagnoses may fail to capture the nuance of illness or the breadth of broader health impacts. In an attempt to "treat trauma," some universal approaches may inadvertently prolong recovery or contribute to illness development.

Directing intensive early intervention resources toward all trauma exposed persons is not practical or advised. Research that will improve our ability to identify those individuals at highest risk or who are currently in need of additional care and to rigorously examine interventions to lower risk is needed. As noted in the May 22, 2025 MAHA Report, which outlines the Make America Healthy Again strategy, some popular approaches may lack rigorous prior investigation (e.g., Trauma Informed Care) to demonstrate if they improve health outcomes compared to usual care or specific evidence-based intervention models of care. Research is required to demonstrate intended impact on outcomes broadly. Further, research into secondary prevention opportunities to interrupt disease development will improve public health and reduce the chronic burden of illness associated with adverse life events. Finally, research into popular and widely disseminated universal approaches warrant rigorous scientific investigation to either confirm claims or dispel their efficacy.

Purpose

This topic aims to promote research for understanding and preventing how exposure to traumatic events (e.g., physical and sexual assault, war or combat, disasters, violent crime) impacts broad biological processes and specific neurobiological, behavioral, and cognitive activities that increase risk for chronic health conditions, including mental illness (e.g., Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression), cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and substance abuse.