Chou IJ, Kong SS, Chung TT, See LC, Kuo CF, Lin JJ, Wang HS, Lin KL, Hung PC. Evaluation of the effect of the child protection act on serious child physical abuse in Taiwan.
CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2019;
95:104066. [PMID:
31284024 DOI:
10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104066]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Few studies have examined the effects of the Child Protection Act on child maltreatment in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
This study estimated the secular trends in the incidence rate of physical abuse of children requiring hospitalization between 1996 and 2013, and the subsequent in-hospital death proportion before and after implementation of the Act in 2003.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING
The cases were children younger than 12 years old who were hospitalized due to child abuse, shaken-baby syndrome, neglect, or homicide between 1996 and 2013. A comparison group consisted of children requiring hospitalization for other reasons. We used the National Health Insurance database to identify patients.
METHODS
The Joinpoint Regression Program was used to estimate temporal trends in the standardized incidence rates.
RESULTS
Between 1996 and 2013, 2050 children required hospitalization for physical abuse. Before 2005, the annual percent change increased by 9.40 [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.98-14.00] per year, and after 2005 the annual percent change was -4.80 (95% CI, -9.53-0.17) per year. Among the 2050 physically abused children requiring hospitalization, 83 (4%) died in hospital. The in-hospital death proportion was 2.62% before 2003 and 4.90% after 2003, and the ratio of these two proportions was 1.43 (95% CI, 0.80-2.58).
CONCLUSIONS
The trend in the incidence of hospitalization of children due to physical-abuse-related injuries started to decline 2 years after implementation of the Child Protection Act. However, the proportion of children who died in hospital as a result of physical abuse requiring hospitalization did not change.
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