title: Prevention of child maltreatment.
abstract: Pediatricians and other health care providers can play several important roles in the prevention of child maltreatment. This article aims to help pediatricians incorporate child abuse prevention into their practice. Resources for systematizing anticipatory guidance and screening for risk factors in child maltreatment are described. The modalities, strengths, and weaknesses of community-based prevention programs are discussed, and tools with which providers can identify the effectiveness of available community-based programs are offered. On a broader level, ways whereby pediatricians can advocate at the local, state, and national levels for policies and programs that support families and children are described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 660 West Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Electronic address: wlane@epi.umaryland.edu.
authors.forename: Wendy Gwirtzman
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Lane
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010819:Physician's Role; D010820:Physicians; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Child abuse; Child neglect; Health promotion; Prevention; Primary care