RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Detection of child abuse in emergency departments: a multi-centre study
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 422
OP 425
DO 10.1136/adc.2010.202358
VO 96
IS 5
A1 Eveline C F M Louwers
A1 Ida J Korfage
A1 Marjo J Affourtit
A1 Dop J H Scheewe
A1 Marjolijn H van de Merwe
A1 Francoise A F S R Vooijs-Moulaert
A1 Claire M C Woltering
A1 Mieke H T M Jongejan
A1 Madelon Ruige
A1 Henriëtte A Moll
A1 Harry J De Koning
YR 2011
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/96/5/422.abstract
AB Objective This study examines the detection rates of suspected child abuse in the emergency departments of seven Dutch hospitals complying and not complying with screening guidelines for child abuse. Design Data on demographics, diagnosis and suspected child abuse were collected for all children aged ≤18 years who visited the emergency departments over a 6-month period. The completion of a checklist of warning signs of child abuse in at least 10% of the emergency department visits was considered to be compliance with screening guidelines. Results A total of 24 472 visits were analysed, 54% of which took place in an emergency department complying with screening guidelines. Child abuse was suspected in 52 children (0.2%). In 40 (77%) of these 52 cases, a checklist of warning signs had been completed compared with a completion rate of 19% in the total sample. In hospitals complying with screening guidelines for child abuse, the detection rate was higher (0.3%) than in those not complying (0.1%, p<0.001). Conclusion During a 6-month period, emergency department staff suspected child abuse in 0.2% of all children visiting the emergency department of seven Dutch hospitals. The numbers of suspected abuse cases detected were low, but an increase is likely if uniform screening guidelines are widely implemented.