Linking child maltreatment retrospectively to birth and home visit records: an initial examination.
The study reported here tested the feasibility of linking administrative datasets for evaluation of home visiting as a strategy to reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect. It also examined associations between maternal and child attributes coded in the birth record, and subsequent child maltreatment. The results show that home visiting efforts in Vermont were, in general, targeted to the populations most at-risk for child maltreatment. Mother's educational attainment, in particular, was identified as a potent correlate of child maltreatment, a finding with implications for high school dropout prevention and recovery efforts.
Murphey
D A
DA
Vermont Agency of Home Services, Planning Division, Waterbury 05671-0203, USA.
Braner
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001719:Birth Certificates; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D004522:Educational Status; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008423:Maternal Age; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D020380:Needs Assessment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017749:Total Quality Management; D014707:Vermont / Q000453:epidemiology