Safely surrendered infants in Los Angeles County: A medically vulnerable population.
Child Custody
/ legislation & jurisprudence
Child, Abandoned
/ legislation & jurisprudence
Child, Unwanted
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Los Angeles
/ epidemiology
Male
Orphanages
/ legislation & jurisprudence
Public Policy
Retrospective Studies
Vulnerable Populations
/ legislation & jurisprudence
Safe Surrender
foster care
infant safe haven
Journal
Child: care, health and development
ISSN: 1365-2214
Titre abrégé: Child Care Health Dev
Pays: England
ID NLM: 7602632
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
11 2019
11 2019
Historique:
received:
15
05
2019
accepted:
23
06
2019
pubmed:
20
7
2019
medline:
11
8
2020
entrez:
20
7
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
As a means to provide safety for a population at great risk of harm through abandonment, every state in the United States now has laws and practices for the safe relinquishment of newborns and infants. However, there is no national database tracking the population of infants surrendered through such programmes, and few states monitor these numbers. The primary aim of this study was therefore to examine the descriptive characteristics of infants who have been safely surrendered in a large, socio-economically diverse urban area. The secondary aim was to compare them with local population norms to determine whether differences exist and to begin exploring what implications such differences may have for the treatment provided to these infants. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among safely surrendered infants. Over half of the infants had medical issues, and the majority of the infants were surrendered in communities characterized by low median income. Preliminary information highlights potential economic, social, and medical risk factors, suggesting that these infants may require increased monitoring and/or specialized care.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
As a means to provide safety for a population at great risk of harm through abandonment, every state in the United States now has laws and practices for the safe relinquishment of newborns and infants. However, there is no national database tracking the population of infants surrendered through such programmes, and few states monitor these numbers. The primary aim of this study was therefore to examine the descriptive characteristics of infants who have been safely surrendered in a large, socio-economically diverse urban area. The secondary aim was to compare them with local population norms to determine whether differences exist and to begin exploring what implications such differences may have for the treatment provided to these infants.
METHODS
A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among safely surrendered infants.
RESULTS
Over half of the infants had medical issues, and the majority of the infants were surrendered in communities characterized by low median income.
CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary information highlights potential economic, social, and medical risk factors, suggesting that these infants may require increased monitoring and/or specialized care.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
861-866Informations de copyright
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Références
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