TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics of cases submitted to a statewide system of child abuse experts
AU - Girardet, Rebecca
AU - Lahoti, Sheela
AU - Bolton, Kelly
AU - Kellogg, Nancy D
PY - 2016/8/1
Y1 - 2016/8/1
N2 - Background: The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) created a statewide network of child abuse pediatricians working at 6 academic centers in 2006. Methods: Case data for the period 9/1/2012-8/31/2014 were reviewed for child demographics, risk factors, physician determinations, injury descriptors, and information made available to the physician. Results: 8061 of 410,315 DFPS cases (2%) were referred during the period. Network utilization rates ranged from 7.5% in counties served by San Antonio to 1.4% in Austin-served counties. Cases from outlying counties were less likely to involve older children. African American children were over-represented in referrals, and Caucasian and Asian children were underrepresented. Prevalent risk factors included prior DFPS history, single parent-household, mental illness, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Network providers found no or only nonspecific evidence for maltreatment in 45% of cases. Determinations were hindered by poor quality photographs in 188 cases and inadequate skeletal surveys in 121. Insufficient information precluded case completion for 65 cases of children
AB - Background: The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) created a statewide network of child abuse pediatricians working at 6 academic centers in 2006. Methods: Case data for the period 9/1/2012-8/31/2014 were reviewed for child demographics, risk factors, physician determinations, injury descriptors, and information made available to the physician. Results: 8061 of 410,315 DFPS cases (2%) were referred during the period. Network utilization rates ranged from 7.5% in counties served by San Antonio to 1.4% in Austin-served counties. Cases from outlying counties were less likely to involve older children. African American children were over-represented in referrals, and Caucasian and Asian children were underrepresented. Prevalent risk factors included prior DFPS history, single parent-household, mental illness, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Network providers found no or only nonspecific evidence for maltreatment in 45% of cases. Determinations were hindered by poor quality photographs in 188 cases and inadequate skeletal surveys in 121. Insufficient information precluded case completion for 65 cases of children
KW - Child maltreatment
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Public health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84975286198&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.06.007
DO - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.06.007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84975286198
SN - 0190-7409
VL - 67
SP - 198
EP - 202
JO - Children and Youth Services Review
JF - Children and Youth Services Review
ER -