This quality improvement pilot screened 60 people living with HIV for childhood trauma using the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire. Antiretroviral adherence and substance use were compared between 2 ACE scoring groups 0 to 3 and 4 to 10, because scoring 4 and higher reflects complex trauma. Higher ACE scores correlated with increased substance use and suboptimal antiretroviral adherence. This project supports the need for childhood trauma screening and implementation of a trauma-informed approach to care.
