A Conceptual Model of Historical Trauma: Implications for Public Health Practice and Research

Historical trauma theory is a relatively new concept in public health. The premise of this theory is that populations historically sub- jected to long-term, mass trauma—colonialism, slavery, war, genocide— exhibit a higher prevalence of disease even several generations aer the original trauma occurred. Understanding how historical trauma might infl uence the current health status of racial/ethnic populations in the U.S. may provide new directions and insights for eliminating health disparities. This article off ers an analysis of the theoretical framework of historical trauma theory and provides a general review of the literature. A conceptual model is introduced illustrating how historical trauma might play a role in disease prevalence and health disparities. Finally, implications for public health practice and research are discussed.