Burden of Disease Attributable to Violence in Childhood in the United Kingdom

Childhood exposure to violence is widespread in the UK and leads to significant long-term mental, behavioural, and physical health problems. While some violence types are recognised in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) framework, many remain overlooked, and the complete burden in the UK had not been previously quantified. This study estimated the disease burden attributable to various forms of violence-including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, neglect, domestic violence, bullying, and community violence-experienced before age 18. Using UK and Australian data, population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated for conditions like depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, smoking, and self-harm, and applied to 2021 GBD UK figures. Results showed that 7.9% of total Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) were attributable to childhood violence, with men bearing a higher burden, particularly for smoking and self-harm, and women for depression and anxiety. These findings highlight the urgent need for stronger violence prevention and trauma-informed approaches in the UK.