Child abuse is a common problem that all practitioners who see children should be able to recognise
Child abuse is common. In the 2011–12 financial year, Australia had over 250 000 notifications of suspected child abuse.1 Of the cases investigated, 45% were substantiated.1 Among non-substantiated cases, some were likely to have been abuse, but with not enough evidence to be confident that abuse had occurred because of the young age of the child in physical abuse or the lack of a witness in sexual abuse. This is a common problem in child abuse.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- 1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Child protection Australia 2011–2012. Canberra: AIHW, 2013. (AIHW Cat. No. CWS 43; Child Welfare Series No. 55.) http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129542752 (accessed Dec 2013).
- 2. Gwee A, Coghlan B, Rayner C, et al. Fortnightly emergency department case-file audit for timely detection of missed cases of suspicious injury. Med J Aust 2014; 200: 23. <MJA full text>
- 3. Cohen RA, Hitsman BL, Paul RH, et al. Early life stress and adult emotional experience: an international perspective. Int J Psychiatry Med 2006; 36: 35-52.
- 4. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Personal Safety Survey, 2006. (ABS Cat. No. 4906.0.) http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4906.0 (accessed Nov 2013).
- 5. Najman JM, Dunne MP, Purdie DM, et al. Sexual abuse in childhood and sexual dysfunction in adulthood: an Australian population-based study. Arch Sex Behav 2005; 34: 517-526.
- 6. Australian Institute of Family Studies. The prevalence of child abuse and neglect. Melbourne: AIFS, 2013. http://www.aifs.gov.au/cfca/pubs/factsheets/a144254/index.html (accessed Dec 2013).
- 7. Swanston HY, Plunkett AM, O’Toole BL, et al. Nine years after child sexual abuse. Child Abuse Negl 2003; 27: 967-984.
- 8. Swanston HY, Parkinson PN, O’Toole BI, et al. Juvenile crime, aggression, and delinquency after sexual abuse: a longitudinal study. Br J Criminol 2003; 43: 729-749.
- 9. Fellitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med 1998; 14: 245-258.
- 10. Kemp AM, Maguire SA, Nuttall D, et al. Bruising in children who are assessed for suspected physical abuse. Arch Dis Child 2013; 4 Dec. [Epub ahead of print.] doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2013-304339.
- 11. Sheets LK, Leach ME, Koszewski IJ, et al. Sentinel injuries in infants evaluated for child physical abuse. Pediatrics 2013; 131: 701-707.
- 12. Kellogg N. The evaluation of sexual abuse in children. Pediatrics 2005; 116: 506-512.
- 13. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Abuse and violence: working with our patients in general practice. Melbourne: RACGP, 2008. http://www. racgp.org.au/your-practice/guidelines/abuse-and-violence (accessed Nov 2013).
No relevant disclosures.