title: Using benefit-cost analysis to assess child abuse prevention and intervention programs.
abstract: Benefits and costs are discussed when child abuse prevention and intervention programs are proposed and evaluated, but systemic benefit-cost analysis as developed by economists has not been applied to such programs. This article presents the case for using benefit-cost analysis to structure evaluations of child abuse prevention and intervention programs. It presents the basic concept of benefit-cost analysis, its application in the context of assessing these types of child welfare programs, and limitations on its application to social service programs.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Plotnick
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deppman
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012947:Social Work / Q000191:economics*