@article{ref1,
title="Analysis of the relationship between earthquake-related losses and the frequency of child-directed emotional, physical, and severe physical abuse in Haiti",
journal="Child abuse and neglect",
year="2020",
author="Subedi, Sony and Davison, Colleen and Bartels, Susan Andrea",
volume="106",
number="",
pages="e104509-e104509",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Child abuse is a public health and human rights issue that is prevalent worldwide. All forms of abuse against children can have negative physical and mental health consequences. Under post-disaster situations, where there is a potential for increased stress and decreased social support among caregivers, the risk of child abuse may be higher. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between earthquake-related losses (family-related and property-related) and the experience of emotional, physical, and severe physical child abuse in the household for children aged 2-14 in Haiti. <br><br>METHODS: A nationally representative sample of Haitian households from the 2012 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) was used. Descriptive analyses were summarized using frequencies and measures of central tendency. Associations between earthquake-related loss and child abuse was assessed using log-binomial regression modelling. <br><br>RESULTS: Two years following the earthquake, and after considering potentially confounding variables, death of a household member was associated with a higher likelihood of a child being victim to emotional (RR = 1.11, 95 % CI: 1.05-1.17) and severe physical abuse (RR = 1.50, 95 % CI: 1.15-1.96). Conversely, injury of a household member was associated with a lower likelihood of a child experiencing emotional abuse (RR = 0.93, 95 % CI: 0.87-0.99). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: There were associations between earthquake-related losses and some forms of child abuse; the results were not consistent across all exposures and outcomes. The high prevalence of reported child abuse indicates a need for interventions to reduce child abuse in homes overall. There is also need for further research into the aetiology and influences specific to different types of abuse.<br><br>Crown Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-2134",
doi="10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104509",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104509"
}