Citation

Dubowitz H. JAMA Netw. Open 2021; 4(5): e219164.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, American Medical Association)

DOI

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.9164

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Many children experience abuse, neglect, and other forms of violence, jeopardizing their physical and emotional health and their social and cognitive development. The study by Finkelhor and colleagues1 characterizes children and youth evaluated medically following their experience of some type of violence. The nationally representative sample consisted of 8503 children and youth aged 2 to 17 from 2 surveys conducted in 2011 and 2014. Caregivers responded via telephone interviews for children aged 9 years or younger regarding possible exposure to violence, other adversities, and trauma symptoms; the youth aged 10 years and older reported on themselves. There were follow-up probes regarding injury and medical treatment for those with any of the 16 types of violence. As many as 5187 were reported to have been exposed to violence; 3.4% had had a medical visit related to the experience, 1.9% in the past year. Those with a recent medical visit had more trauma symptoms and faced more adversities including multiple types of violence compared with those who experienced violence but without a medical visit. The authors point to the opportunities for medical professionals to identify the source of an injury, to help address the needs of children and youth exposed to violence, and to prevent further problems...

Language: en