Child abuse and deprivation. A review of the records at Coronation Hospital, Johannesburg.
A hospital-based, descriptive study to determine the incidence of child abuse and 'child deprivation' in the community served by Coronation Hospital was conducted. Clinical records from 1 January 1979 to 30 June 1984 were consulted, and statistics extracted. A questionnaire was distributed among the medical staff involved with the diagnosis and management of child abuse. A total of 9 821 case summaries were analysed and a total of 23 cases of confirmed child abuse were recorded during this period, giving an incidence of 2.48 confirmed cases of abuse per 1 000 paediatric admissions. Of the children admitted 301.8/1 000 were found to be less than the 3rd percentile for both weight for age and height for age, and were classified as 'deprived' in terms of this study.
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D002670:Child, Abandoned; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013019:South Africa; D013223:Statistics as Topic