The Use of Linked Administrative Data to Examine the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Scoping Review of the Literature

This review explored the use of linked administrative data to study outcomes associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which are traumatic events during childhood. A search of Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, ERIC, Education Source, and CINAHL Plus identified studies published from 1998 to 2023. To be included, studies had to use linked administrative data to determine ACE exposure in individuals aged 0 to 18 years, focusing on outcomes categorized as Health, Education, Welfare, or Justice. Following deduplication, title and abstract screening, and a full text review, a total of 309 studies met the inclusion criteria. The review summarized study characteristics such as publication year, geographic location, sample size, age of participants, type of ACE exposure, and outcome studied. An increasing trend in ACE-related publications over the review period was evident, with sample sizes most commonly ranging from 5,001 to 50,000 individuals. The majority of studies utilized data sourced in Australia and the USA, and the participants were predominantly aged 0 to 2 years, with fewer studies involving older children. Over half of the included studies focused on single ACE exposures, particularly sexual abuse, either as a standalone factor or part of broader child maltreatment reports. ACE exposure was most often identified at the level of the “parent/carer,” with mothers more likely to be included when a single parent only was analyzed. Health outcomes were the most frequently studied. While linked administrative data provides a powerful tool for examining multiple exposures and outcomes, the review found a potential under-utilization of its full potential, with fewer studies addressing multiple exposures and outcomes simultaneously.