Child maltreatment and pediatric health outcomes: a longitudinal study of low-income children.
OBJECTIVE
To examine if maltreatment predicted increased risk of hospital-based treatment prior to age 18 years for asthma, cardio-respiratory, and non-sexually transmitted infectious disease in a sample of low-income children.


METHODS
This study used administrative data from multiple systems to follow children for 12-18 years (N = 6,282). Cox regression was used to explore the risk of first hospital treatment by disease category. Negative binomial regression was used to explore the relationship between recurrent maltreatment and total hospital care episodes.


RESULTS
Controlling for individual, family, and community factors, children with maltreatment reports had a 74-100% higher risk of hospital treatment. Recurrent reports predicted a higher count of hospital care episodes.


CONCLUSIONS
The negative health impact of maltreatment prior to adulthood supports the need for early prevention and intervention to prevent initial and recurrent child abuse and improve capacity to meet healthcare needs of maltreated children.
George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1196, 1 Brookings Drive, St Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Paul
P
Lanier
Melissa
M
Jonson-Reid
Mary Jo
MJ
Stahlschmidt
Brett
B
Drake
John
J
Constantino
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult