title: Forensic medical evaluations of child maltreatment: a proposed research agenda.
abstract: Physicians play an important role in the forensic evaluation of suspected child abuse and neglect. There has been considerable progress in the medical field, helping distinguish findings related to maltreatment from other conditions or circumstances. Nevertheless, important questions remain. This article covers several of these questions and proposes a research agenda concerning five main topics: sexual abuse, neglect, fractures, abusive head trauma, and physicians work in interdisciplinary settings. The suggestions are hardly inclusive, but offer suggestions the authors think are priorities, and ones that research could reasonably address. By providing some background to gaps in our knowledge, this paper should be of interest to a broader audience than just medical professionals.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dubowitz
authors.affiliation: The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Cindy W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.affiliation: Penn State College of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Kent
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hymel
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Kellogg
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D044707:Forensic Sciences; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D006077:Government Agencies; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D012106:Research; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance
keywords: Child abuse and neglect; Forensic; Medical evaluation; Research agenda