Child physical abuse and COVID-19: Trends from nine pediatric trauma centers.
COVID-19
Child abuse
Nonaccidental trauma
SARS-CoV-2
Journal
Journal of pediatric surgery
ISSN: 1531-5037
Titre abrégé: J Pediatr Surg
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0052631
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Feb 2022
Feb 2022
Historique:
received:
23
09
2021
accepted:
27
09
2021
pubmed:
12
11
2021
medline:
9
2
2022
entrez:
11
11
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Economic, social, and psychologic stressors are associated with an increased risk for abusive injuries in children. Prolonged physical proximity between adults and children under conditions of severe external stress, such as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic with "shelter-in-place orders", may be associated with additional increased risk for child physical abuse. We hypothesized that child physical abuse rates and associated severity of injury would increase during the early months of the pandemic as compared to the prior benchmark period. We conducted a nine-center retrospective review of suspected child physical abuse admissions across the Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium. Cases were identified for the period of April 1-June 30, 2020 (COVID-19) and compared to the identical period in 2019. We collected patient demographics, injury characteristics, and outcome data. There were no significant differences in child physical abuse cases between the time periods in the consortium as a whole or at individual hospitals. There were no differences between the study periods with regard to patient characteristics, injury types or severity, resource utilization, disposition, or mortality. Apparent rates of new injuries related to child physical abuse did not increase early in the COVID-19 pandemic. While this may suggest that pediatric physical abuse was not impacted by pandemic restrictions and stresses, it is possible that under-reporting, under-detection, or delays in presentation of abusive injuries increased during the pandemic. Long-term follow-up of subsequent rates and severity of child abuse is needed to assess for unrecognized injuries that may have occurred.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Economic, social, and psychologic stressors are associated with an increased risk for abusive injuries in children. Prolonged physical proximity between adults and children under conditions of severe external stress, such as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic with "shelter-in-place orders", may be associated with additional increased risk for child physical abuse. We hypothesized that child physical abuse rates and associated severity of injury would increase during the early months of the pandemic as compared to the prior benchmark period.
METHODS
METHODS
We conducted a nine-center retrospective review of suspected child physical abuse admissions across the Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium. Cases were identified for the period of April 1-June 30, 2020 (COVID-19) and compared to the identical period in 2019. We collected patient demographics, injury characteristics, and outcome data.
RESULTS
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in child physical abuse cases between the time periods in the consortium as a whole or at individual hospitals. There were no differences between the study periods with regard to patient characteristics, injury types or severity, resource utilization, disposition, or mortality.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Apparent rates of new injuries related to child physical abuse did not increase early in the COVID-19 pandemic. While this may suggest that pediatric physical abuse was not impacted by pandemic restrictions and stresses, it is possible that under-reporting, under-detection, or delays in presentation of abusive injuries increased during the pandemic. Long-term follow-up of subsequent rates and severity of child abuse is needed to assess for unrecognized injuries that may have occurred.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34758909
pii: S0022-3468(21)00679-5
doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2021.09.050
pmc: PMC8572366
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
297-301Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of Competing Interest There are no conflicts of interest.
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