Trauma and Poverty

Poverty is a pervasive issue that affects individuals, families, and communities worldwide. In the United States, 12.8% of the population in 2021 lived in poverty, and 16.9% of children experienced childhood poverty (Census Bureau, 2022). The impact that poverty has extends beyond the lack of material resources, often intertwining with traumatic experiences and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). This blog post will explore the definition of poverty, its measurement through Federal Poverty Thresholds and Guidelines, and the connection between poverty and trauma at both the family and community levels.

Defining Poverty

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, poverty can be understood as the condition where individuals lack the means to satisfy their basic needs (Britannica, 2023). These needs encompass the essentials required to sustain life like food, water, and shelter, as well as other social factors that do not measure up those of the population, like employment opportunities, limited healthcare, etc (Britannica, 2023). In the United States, poverty is measured and defined by Federal Poverty Thresholds and Federal Poverty Guidelines. So what is the difference?

First, Federal Poverty Thresholds were created by the Census Bureau for purely statistical purposes, such as analyzing the rate of poverty in the United States (Milken Institute School of Public Health, 2018). On the other hand, Federal Poverty Guidelines, also commonly known as Federal Poverty Level, were created by the Department of Health and Human Services for administrative purposes, such as determining eligibility for federal programs like SNAP or Head Start (Milken Institute School of Public Health, 2018). 

Poverty and Trauma/ACEs

The experience of poverty, both at the family and community level, increases the risk of exposure to traumatic events and ACEs (CDC, 2021). Family risk factors associated with poverty include low income and high levels of economic stress (CDC, 2021), which can contribute to an unstable environment and limited resources for meeting basic needs. Community risk factors such as high poverty rates, limited educational and economic opportunities, violence, crime, and food insecurity further compound the impact of poverty and increase the likelihood of traumatic experiences (CDC, 2021).

Years of research has shown that exposure to trauma and ACEs can have long-lasting effects on individuals’ physical and mental health, educational outcomes, and overall well-being (CDC, 2021). Breaking the cycle of poverty and addressing its associated traumas require a comprehensive approach that includes not only addressing the material needs but also providing support systems, access to quality education, healthcare services, and community resources.

References: 

Benson, C. (2022) Poverty rate of children higher than national rate, lower for older populations, Census.gov. Available at: https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/10/poverty-rate-varies-by-age-groups.html 

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, June 23). poverty. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/poverty 

Fast facts: Preventing adverse childhood experiences |violence prevention|injury Center|CDC (2022) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/fastfact.html  

Juda, E. (2022) Poverty vs. Federal Poverty Level, GW. Available at: https://onlinepublichealth.gwu.edu/resources/poverty-vs-federal-poverty-level/ 

Risk and protective factors |violence prevention|injury Center|CDC (2021) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/riskprotectivefactors.html