Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Child Maltreatment - full text

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement

Rationale

Importance

In 2011, approximately 680,000 children were victims of maltreatment and approximately 1,570 children died of such treatment (1). Approximately 78% experienced neglect, 18% physical abuse, and 9% sexual abuse; many experienced several forms of maltreatment (1).

Benefits of Interventions

There is inadequate evidence that primary care interventions can prevent maltreatment among children who do not already have signs or symptoms of such treatment. Reasons for this conclusion include significant heterogeneity in study methods and interventions. There is also inconsistent and limited evidence on outcomes or how they were measured.

Harms of Detection and Early Intervention or Treatment

Although there are numerous concerns about the possible harms of interventions for child maltreatment, evidence of these harms is limited.

USPSTF Assessment

The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is limited and inconsistent, and is therefore insufficient to determine the balance of benefits and harms of interventions in primary care to prevent child maltreatment among children without signs or symptoms of maltreatment....

http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf13/childabuse/childmaltreatfinalrs.htm

See also:

Too Little Known on How Primary Care Docs Can Prevent Child Abuse - full text

http://acesconnection.com/profiles/blogs/too-little-known-on-how-primary-care-docs-can-prevent-child-abuse

Research needed on child abuse prevention: panel

http://news.yahoo.com/research-needed-child-abuse-prevention-panel-211636146.html

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