title: Child maltreatment: interventions to improve recognition and reporting.
abstract: Child maltreatment is a significant public health problem and described as one of the greatest threats facing the health, welfare, and social well-being of children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). The effect of child maltreatment on the children involved, their families, and society as a whole is substantial. Despite mandatory reporting laws, the poignant reality is that child maltreatment is significantly underrecognized and underreported. Interventions must be designed, tested, and implemented to fulfill the goal of child maltreatment prevention. Forensic nurses are uniquely qualified to assume a leadership role and work collaboratively with children, their caregivers, and all members of the interdisciplinary team to ensure the safety and protection of children. The purpose of this article is to present an evidence-based discussion of the scope of the problem of child maltreatment, contributing barriers to recognition and reporting, and suggestions for interventions designed to achieve the goals of primary and secondary prevention.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: 1The University of North Carolina at Charlotte School of Nursing; 2Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medicine Associates; and 3Pediatric Emergency Department, Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medicine Associates.
authors.forename: Kathleen Sanders
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Sara Hatfield
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Steelman
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing; D053604:Forensic Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014481:United States