title: Child maltreatment hospitalisations in Hong Kong: incidence rate and seasonal pattern.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the incidence and seasonal patterns of child maltreatment hospitalisations in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of subjects aged under 19 years with a primary diagnosis of child maltreatment admitted to hospitals in Hong Kong from 2001 to 2010. Data were retrieved from the centralised database of all 42 public hospitals in the Hospital Authority.
  
  
  METHODS
  Child maltreatment incidence rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A consistent seasonal pattern was found for non-sexual maltreatment in children aged 6-18 years (p<0.001). Hospitalisations peaked in May and October but dipped in August and January. No significant seasonal patterns were found for sexual maltreatment or among children under 6 years. The seasonal pattern of child maltreatment coincided with the two school examination periods. The annual child maltreatment hospitalisation rate in Hong Kong in 2010 was 73.4 per 100 000 children under 19 years, more than double that in 2001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A peculiar seasonal pattern and an alarming increasing trend in child maltreatment hospitalisation were observed in Hong Kong, which we speculated to be related to school examination stress and increasing socioeconomic disparity. Our findings highlighted differences in the trends of child maltreatment between Hong Kong and the West. Professionals and policymakers should be made aware of these trends and develop effective strategies to tackle child maltreatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Frederick Ka-Wing
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Ko Ling
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Suicide Prevention and Research, The University of Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Paul Siu-Fai
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.affiliation: The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Joseph Tak-Fai
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wilfred Hing-Sang
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Chun-Bong
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution
keywords: Child Abuse; Comm Child Health