Child Maltreatment: Overview and Prevention Considerations
Child Maltreatment: Overview and Prevention Considerations
Child maltreatment (CM) is a significant public health problem, affecting hundreds of millions of children globally. CM has been linked to a variety of short- and long-term health consequences, including poor physical and mental health, changes to brain architecture and development, altered biological factors, reduced cognitive ability and educational achievement, and impaired psychosocial functioning. This article will define and describe the various types of CM and its epidemiology from a public health perspective that considers incidence, prevalence, and consequences. The authors discuss risk and protective factors and approaches for the prevention of CM, including key considerations for nurses to help identify potential victims and provide treatment and/or referrals.
Child maltreatment (CM) is a significant public health problem, affecting hundreds of millions of children around the world (Pinheiro, 2006; Runyan, Wattam, Ikeda, Hassan, & Ramiro, 2002). CM has been linked to a variety of short- and long-term health consequences, including poor physical and mental health, changes to brain architecture and development, altered biological factors, reduced cognitive ability and educational achievement, and impaired psychosocial functioning (Felitti et al., 1998; Fortson & Mercy, 2012; Leeb, Lewis, & Zolotor, 2011; Middlebrooks & Audage, 2008; Shonkoff, Boyce, & McEwen, 2009). This article will define and describe the various types of CM and its epidemiology from a public health perspective that considers incidence, prevalence, and consequences. We will discuss approaches for the prevention of CM, including some key considerations for nurses to help identify potential victims and provide treatment and/or referrals.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Child maltreatment (CM) is a significant public health problem, affecting hundreds of millions of children globally. CM has been linked to a variety of short- and long-term health consequences, including poor physical and mental health, changes to brain architecture and development, altered biological factors, reduced cognitive ability and educational achievement, and impaired psychosocial functioning. This article will define and describe the various types of CM and its epidemiology from a public health perspective that considers incidence, prevalence, and consequences. The authors discuss risk and protective factors and approaches for the prevention of CM, including key considerations for nurses to help identify potential victims and provide treatment and/or referrals.
Introduction
Child maltreatment (CM) is a significant public health problem, affecting hundreds of millions of children around the world (Pinheiro, 2006; Runyan, Wattam, Ikeda, Hassan, & Ramiro, 2002). CM has been linked to a variety of short- and long-term health consequences, including poor physical and mental health, changes to brain architecture and development, altered biological factors, reduced cognitive ability and educational achievement, and impaired psychosocial functioning (Felitti et al., 1998; Fortson & Mercy, 2012; Leeb, Lewis, & Zolotor, 2011; Middlebrooks & Audage, 2008; Shonkoff, Boyce, & McEwen, 2009). This article will define and describe the various types of CM and its epidemiology from a public health perspective that considers incidence, prevalence, and consequences. We will discuss approaches for the prevention of CM, including some key considerations for nurses to help identify potential victims and provide treatment and/or referrals.
Source...