title: Child maltreatment in Puerto Rico: findings from the 2010 National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Child maltreatment can have long-term adverse effects. Quantifying the scope and characteristics of child maltreatment is necessary for effective prevention in Puerto Rico.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System Child File contains all the reports of child maltreatment from the United States (US) and Puerto Rico. A child maltreatment victim is defined as a child whose maltreatment was substantiated or indicated by the local child protective agency. We compared reporting and victimization rates and reporting sources in Puerto Rico, with those in the US and examined characteristics of child maltreatment in Puerto Rico.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 2006-2010, a total of 31,849-40,712 cases of child maltreatment were reported annually in Puerto Rico. Victimization rates are consistently higher in Puerto Rico than in the US (10.7/1,000-14.8/1,000 in Puerto Rico vs. 10.1/1,000-12.1/1,000 in the US), despite consistently lower reporting rates. In 2010, victimization rates were highest among children aged 1-6 years. In Puerto Rico, neglect is the most common form of maltreatment, followed by emotional abuse; however, the majority of victims suffered multiple types of abuse. Reporting was more commonly anonymous in Puerto Rico (29.8%) than in the US (9.4%) and less commonly provided by professionals in Puerto Rico (37.2%) than in the US (58.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified a high prevalence of child maltreatment in Puerto Rico. A lower reporting rate, higher victimization rate, and substantial percentage of anonymous reporting indicate potential underreporting of child maltreatment in Puerto Rico. Increasing the awareness and training professionals for improved child maltreatment identification could help alleviate the problem of underreporting.
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Sciences, Scientific Education and Professional Development Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, E-92, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. kanakoi@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klevens
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rivera-García
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mirabal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004644:Emotions; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007256:Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology